Xmas vid a YouTube hit

RESIDENTS of Multicultural Aged Care Services Geelong have embraced the festive spirit in a catchy Christmas video that has been viewed thousands of times.

MACS Geelong staff, residents and volunteers starred in a video featuring their spin on classic Christmas carol The Twelve Days of Christmas.

Chief executive Joy Leggo, who featured in the video as Mrs Claus, said MACS Geelong was “trying to portray aged care as a place where there is still a lot of living, and happy times and fun to be had”.

“We’ve had grandchildren liking it and sharing it, it’s gone a long way,” Mrs Leggo said.

The video had had 17,000 views on the MACS Geelong Facebook page last week since it was posted on November 30 and more than 530 views on YouTube.

MACS resident Rose Carman said making the video was “really fun” and they “all enjoyed it” while lapping up the sunshine in their elf suits.

Lyrics to the Christmas carol were altered to reflect the lives of MACS residents, incorporating chatting, carers, knitting and chess.

Mrs Leggo said the lyrics were matched to personalities on the day, for example, the man singing about turkeys is one of the chefs.

MACS Geelong, which has an aged care facility in North Geelong and offers at-home care, has clients and residents representing 30 different na- tionalities.

The cultural diversity means there will be variety of Christmas traditions to be shared throughout the festive season.

Meanwhile, a Geelong expert is urging elderly people to keep cool this Christmas as rising temperatures increase health risks.

“Older Australians are more prone to heat stress and fatigue as their body does not cope well to sudden or prolonged temperature changes, and just a few degrees variation in body temperature can have a significant impact,” Nick McDonald, Geelong’s founder of Prestige Inhome Care, said.

“It’s an important reminder for all of us during this festive season to be on the lookout for our elderly residents.”