Father Chris Baker keeps fit with a weekly swim at his local pool. - Photo: Mercy Health
Making every lap count
95-year-old Mercy Health Home Care client Father Chris Baker says his lifelong passion for swimming is the key to his longevity.
On his family’s farm in Tatura, in Victoria’s Goulburn Valley, a young Fr Chris swam his first few strokes under the watchful eye of his father.
“Dad taught us how to dog paddle in the small irrigation channels on the farm. I then learnt to swim in open water in the Shepparton Lake,” Fr Chris says.
Later, the family later relocated to Cobden in southwest Victoria after sadly losing their farm in the Great Depression. However, for Fr Chris a silver lining was the excitement of finding a new swimming spot, leading to lifelong memories.
“I can still remember how on feast days or carnivals the organisers would throw hundreds of pennies into the Cobden Lake and we would dive in after them — we were bribed into learning to swim,” Fr Chris laughs.
Fr Chris also recalls travelling to the coastal town of Port Campbell to swim in the bay with family and friends on hot summer days.
Fr Chris on his daily walk around the St Columbans Mission Society grounds in Essendon - Photo: Mercy Health
“The enthusiasm grew and I just loved swimming — once I am in the water, there is not a bother in the world,” Fr Chris says.
In 1956, Fr Chris answered a strong calling to join the priesthood with the St Columbans Mission Society. This led to more than 40 years of service overseas, including many years in Peru.
Mercy Health Care Advisor Tamara Bodor says Fr Chris has recounted many stories about his global travels fulfilling his missionary duties.
“The stories include the element of making time for his other passions; amongst them, swimming in exotic locations in Fiji, Tahiti and Bolivia,” Tamara says.
“Fr Chris often tells me about his love for ocean swimming in magical parts of the world.”
Nowadays, Fr Chris says he would not be able to continue his cherished hobby of swimming without the support of Mercy Health Home Care.
“I am very happy to still be swimming with the help of Mercy Health. It means a huge amount to me.”
Tamara says home care workers accompany Fr Chris when he swims at the local pool each week. “With Fr Chris’ reduced eyesight, our team supports him to visit his favourite local indoor pool where he can swim, float and keep active for an hour each Friday.”
However, Fr Chris’ hankering for movement extends beyond his weekly pool visits. He is fond of a daily stroll around the St Columbans Mission Society grounds in Essendon, as well as a fortnightly walk around the Maribyrnong River with the company of a Mercy Health home care worker.
Fr Chris enjoys swimming laps and floating in the shallow end. - Photo: Mercy Health
Fr Chris says his passion for a healthy lifestyle was born out of both necessity and a zestful youth. He has fond childhood memories of climbing trees to forage for pine cones for kindling and hunting rabbits for tea.
“As children, we used to walk for a mile or so to school every day. We also went ferreting and would ride our bikes for miles, going up and down hills,” Fr Chris recalls.
Alongside being active, maintaining a healthy diet from childhood has been another pillar of healthy ageing for Fr Chris, proving the timeless adage: ‘eat your veggies’ rings true.
“Although we grew up with ‘modest means’, we always ate healthy food,” Fr Chris says.
“Even now, I try to choose good, healthy food. Meat, veggies and, of course, pudding — I like my pudding very much.”
Columban Fr Chris Baker lives in retirement at St Columban's, Essendon.
Article and images - Courtesy: Mercy Health
