100-year-old Ipswich care home resident reveals the secret to a long life

Home news

Feb 15, 2021

An Ipswich care home resident has celebrated her 100^th birthday and revealed her secret to living a long life.

Kathleen Cage, from Care UK’s Prince George House, on Mansbrook Boulevard, marked the impressive milestone on 1^st February, and was joined by residents and team members to toast the occasion.

Enjoying the day with a host of special treats, the team went above and beyond to ensure Kathleen enjoyed a celebration like no other, complete with a safe family visit in the home’s new visiting suite, a birthday cake baked by head chef, Caroline. Kathleen was also delighted to receive her official telegram from the Queen.

Revealing the secret to becoming a centenarian, Kathleen said: “Honestly – my secret is that I have had a really lovely, happy life.”

Jennie Rodger, Home Manager at Prince George House, said: “Everyone had a wonderful time celebrating Kathleen’s birthday, and although we may be in lockdown, we still made sure we marked the occasion in style.

“From decorating the home, to baking a cake fit for the queen – the day certainly was one to remember!”

Kathleen, who was born in 1921, was one of four children. Growing up in Eye, Kathleen met her husband, Charles, in the early 1940s and they married in 1943. The couple moved to Cambridge when Charles joined the RAF, where Kathleen worked for Pie Electronics, and had many hobbies including knitting, crocheting and dress making.

After Charles left the forces, the pair moved to Melton, where Kathleen began working at St Audry’s Hospital, before working in the kitchen at Woodbridge Primary School. Kathleen was known in the village for being Melton’s ‘Champion Sweet Tea Grower’ several years in a row, and was also famous for her delicious cheese straws.

Kathleen has three children, six grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren and two great-great children, who she loves dearly. She has lived at Prince George House since 2017, where she loves playing bingo and scrabble.

Prince George House is a modern purpose-built care home providing full-time residential, nursing, and dementia care, as well as short-term respite care. Designed to enable residents to live enjoyable and fulfilling lives, the care home has a choice of lounges and dining rooms, along with facilities such as an activity room, cinema and hair salon.

For more information about Prince George House, please contact Customer Relations Manager, Julie Dennis, on 01473 852964, or email julie.dennis@careuk.com 

For more general information, please visit careuk.com/prince-george-house