The closest of family ties

Vivienne Causby and her daughter Vivienne are living together again at McCracken Views Residential Care.

Vivienne Sr, known as Viv and pictured right, is 102 years old and says she’s “the lucky one” because of the support she has always had from her children. 

Viv has four children, nine grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.

She and her husband Harold, who was an engineer, moved to the Fleurieu Peninsula in retirement.

It wasn’t long before three of their children followed their move - Vivienne Jr even moved in next door to their Middleton home.

Vivienne Jr, known as Vivi and pictured left, says her family was brought up surrounded by love. As a child Vivi lived with her three younger siblings, her parents, her grandparents and her great grandmother - all in the same house! 

“We were very lucky because the primary school in North Adelaide was two streets from us, so we quite often come home at lunch time too,” Vivi added.

She fondly remembers sitting in bed with her great grandmother at the age of 7, brushing her great grandmother’s hair and playing finger games while her parents went to the pictures.

The family was also fond of camping trips, including regular trips to a property on the River Murray where their father would fish for dinner and they would share lemonade around the campfire while the fish roasted on the coals.

With such wonderful loving role models in her life, it’s no wonder Vivi always thought it important to do something for her mother on Mothers’ Day. 

“I was very big on making the younger children help me prepare a tray of tea with cups and saucers and to take in before mum and dad got up,” she said. 

“It was years before I found that mummy hated having breakfast in bed!” 

Vivi only moved into McCracken Views a few months ago, but said she loves it already.

“I get lots of positive feedback from people in here and I can see mummy nearly every day,” she said. 

This year for Mothers’ Day Viv and Vivi shared morning tea and some beautiful flowers to mark the occasion.