Victoria is celebrating seniors living in aged care with a new program designed to showcase the resilience shown by aged care residents and staff over the past year.

Recognising senior Victorians shines a light on the efforts of both residents and staff during the global pandemic and celebrates the contributions of older Victorians throughout their lives.

People living in aged care have great life stories to tell and the Victorian Seniors Festival has worked with aged care facilities to interview and capture the life stories of 50 aged care residents for the community to enjoy.

Recognising senior Victorians also includes ‘shout outs’ in support of staff and volunteers who have gone above and beyond while working in Victoria’s aged care facilities in 2020.

It celebrates great stories of seniors like Gay Halstead, chosen as a hostess to accompany Queen Elizabeth II on her 1954 tour of Australia, and Les Trigg, who lived through WWII battles in Papua New Guinea and survived post-traumatic stress disorder to go on and have a family with his wife, Pam.

Recognising senior Victorianslife stories are published at Seniors Online, in place of the 2020 Victorian Senior of the Year Awards, which could not proceed due to the pandemic.

In 2021, the Victorian Seniors Festival will include a six-month virtual program from April to November, as well as in-person events in October to celebrate Victoria’s one-million seniors aged 60 and over.

To find out more and listen to the stories of aged care residents, visit seniorsonline.vic.gov.au/recognising-senior-victorians.