Concorde residents celebrate Chinese New Year

Concorde resident Mary Lee receives an orange from the mouth of one of the ceremonial lions during a performance at the home.

Celebrations for Chinese New Year are in full swing at Concorde Aged Care Home, with a range of events for residents and their families to enjoy.

More than 25% of residents at the South Perth home are from Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines and China, and more than 60% of the home’s staff are multilingual, which allows them to better care for residents who prefer to speak in their first language.

A local group, the Pak Mei Yaolin Kung Fu Association, visited Concorde and performed a traditional lion dance for residents and staff to bring good fortune and prosperity to the home. The event included performers dancing as two lions, accompanied by drums and a gong played by other group members. The lions also presented fruit and a scroll bearing a message of good fortune to staff.

Concorde residents also attended a lunch held by the Chung Wah Association, Western Australia’s largest Chinese association. The annual Longevity Lunch celebrates the elders who attended, especially those over the age of 90, and was held at the Chung Wah Cultural Centre in Balcatta.

Concorde will also host a Buddhist blessing, a performance from Chung Wah and a staff lunch as part of their lunar new year celebrations.