100-year-old Dorset resident reveals the secret to a long life

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Nov 15, 2019

A resident at a care home in Ferndown celebrated her 100^th birthday and revealed the secret to a long and happy life.

Birthday celebrations were in full swing at Care UK’s Ferndown Manor, on Golf Links Road, when resident, Isabel Milbourne, celebrated her birthday. Isabel turned 100 years ‘young’ on 5^th November, and revealed the secret to living to this impressive age is to ‘drink plenty of water and walk tall’.  

To celebrate her milestone birthday, Isabel was joined by family, friends and residents for a party hosted by her daughter, Shelagh, and the team at the care home. Everyone toasted Isabel’s good health with a glass of wine and tucked into a slice of birthday cake.

Isabel was born on 5^th November 1919, in Buckie, on the coast of Scotland, where she lived until she relocated to Lincolnshire during the war, to work as a registered nurse. It was here she met her husband, Dr Alan Milbourne.

After the war ended, Isabel and Alan moved to Leigh-on-Sea, near Southend, and had two daughters, Shelagh and Anthea. She was sadly widowed in 1984 and she has six grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren, as well as her two daughters. She is also a keen golfer and follows the sport closely.

Robin Hill, customer relations manager at Ferndown Manor, said: “We love to celebrate all residents here at Ferndown Manor, especially on their birthdays, so it was terrific to be able to commemorate an occasion as special as Isabel’s 100^th birthday.

“It was so fantastic to see Isabel enjoying this incredible milestone with her family and friends at Ferndown Manor. She is quite a character, and has built lovely friendships with residents and the team since moving here in August this year, so it was wonderful to raise a glass to her on this special occasion.”

Ferndown Manor, which features 75 ensuite bedrooms, is a state-of-the-art home which provides full-time residential, dementia and nursing care, as well as short-term respite care. Designed to enable residents to live enjoyable and fulfilling lives, the care home has its very own cinema, hairdressing salon and café, and there is plenty of space, both indoors and out, for relaxation and recreation.

For more information about the home, please email customer relations manager, Robin Hill, at Robin.hill@careuk.com or call 01202 069 371.

For more general information about Ferndown Manor, please visit careuk.com/ferndown-manor