By Kyra Gillespie
“I have so many passions – I’m a passionate person. Now that I’m retired I don’t know how I ever found the time to work. Retirement is exhausting!”
Teaching a newly formed ukulele group out of Pakenham’s Goldcare Lifestyle Village, Jennifer Keates tells KYRA GILLESPIE that growing older doesn’t have to be dull.
Jennifer Keates moved to Pakenham’s Goldcare Lifestyle Village with her husband David three years ago, but the energetic couple had no plans to settle down and live life in the slow lane.
“We’d never done the retirement village thing,” she said.
“When we got here I said ‘right, this girl is here for some fun’.”
Jennifer and David started teaching the U-Bute Ukulele Group in February this year, open to anyone and everyone.
Since their first beginner level class, the Keateses now have more than 30 pupils.
“At the end of the term two things happened.
“The initial group chose to continue so they graduated to an intermediate group, and Outlook asked if we would run another introductory course in term two – which we did and more enthusiastic potential musicians arrived.
“We are now about to start term three so both groups will be combined into a Ukulele orchestra – and another introductory group is on offer to anyone wanting to join our happy troupe.”
The group was formed for the sole purpose of connecting with people and having fun while doing it.
“We don’t take ourselves seriously – it’s all about the sheer enjoyment of sharing music. We’re not precious about it, we just let it rip.”
The ukulele course goes for eight weeks, roughly the same amount as a school term.
“Many of my students are grandparents and have their grandkids to look after so we make sure they finish in time for school holidays.”
By the end of the course the group ends up learning up to 20-30 songs. Hauling out a large folder which reads ‘Keep Calm and Play the Ukulele’ on the front, Jennifer shows me the impressive repertoire. Flipping through pages of songs and chord charts, she explains the way that she takes complex songs and simplifies them down to just a few chords.
“We start with one chord and then build up from there as the group learns. I always say that if you make a mistake – who cares? The group will carry you through.”
The U-Bute Uke Group repertoire contains all kinds of songs from the Beatles to hymns, to show tunes.
“She’s the Bette Midler of Pakenham” said husband David with a laugh.
Aside from the psychological benefits that music has proved to have, Jennifer has experienced the first-hand physical benefits of playing the ukulele.
After badly smashing up the bones in her wrist, Jennifer never fully recovered despite extensive physiotherapy.
“Even after a year of therapy I couldn’t tighten my hand into a fist. But as soon as I playing the ukulele I noticed such a huge improvement and now it’s as good as new. I wasn’t thinking about the exercise involved – I was just enjoying the music.”
Many members of the ukulele group have also reported health benefits according to Jennifer.
“Lots of members have arthritis problems and even though they’ll never get back the dexterity of a seven-year-old, the playing does their hands so much good.”
Jennifer only started playing the ukulele herself a couple of years ago and said that she doesn’t have a musical bone in her body.
“I always wanted to play the piano or the guitar but never had the talent or the perseverance. So that’s why I picked up the ukulele – not because it was easy, but it was doable.”
“I’ve always had the music in me. I just have a hard time getting it out.”
Originally born in Adelaide, Jennifer has lived all over Australia, pursuing a career in education and training.
Now that she is settled in Pakenham, she has never been busier. She sings in the Outlook choir, does line dancing once a week, teaches ukulele twice a week, dabbles in a bit of writing and contributes her time to the Goldcare social club.
“I approached Outlook as I had had such a wonderful association with them through attending their choir for over three years. Such warm, helpful, interested staff and great facilities.”
“I have so many passions – I’m a passionate person. Now that I’m retired I don’t know how I ever found the time to work. Retirement is exhausting!”
Ms Keates said that if she could go back in time and give advice to her younger self, it would be to worry less about what other people think.
“Now I just do what I want and what I love and if people don’t like it – I don’t care.
“I think I’ve got some sort of body dysmorphia. Instead of looking in the mirror and seeing things I don’t like, I look in the mirror and think: I look fabulous. I look so good!”
Outlook’s U-Bute Uke Group will be performing at the Outlook Community Centre in Pakenham for the White Ribbon fundraising morning tea on Friday 28 July at 10.30am.
The next Introduction to Ukulele course starts on Friday 4 August. Enrolments at the Outlook Community Centre.
