Juana Maria Frail Aged Home

07/04/2026

JUANA MARIA BOOKSHOP
📚 📖 📚 📖 📚 📖 📚

Only true readers really understand these habits, and we've all got them, to a greater or lesser degree.

# It's midnight. Only one more chapter. Sleep can wait.

# Sniff the pages. The crisp scent of the printed word. Profound.

# The to-be-read pile is dwindling. Panic. Buy more books.

# Keep reading material on hand.
In case of queues. Or traffic jams.

Non-readers may find these practices a bit weird. But in our special reading community, we simply get it. This is the magic of living in Book World 📚 📖 📚

PRE-LOVED BOOKS
TIP-TOP CONDITION
ROCK-BOTTOM PRICES

07/04/2026

07/04/2026

A Heartwarming Easter Visit from Ladysmith Presbyterian Church

Easter is always a special time at Juana Maria Frail Aged Home, filled with warmth, reflection, and moments of joy.

This year was made even more meaningful with a heartfelt visit from the Ladysmith Presbyterian Church, who joined us on Sunday to hand out Easter eggs to our residents. The surprise brought many smiles and added a touch of sweetness to the day.

We would like to extend our sincere thanks to the Ladysmith Presbyterian Church for thinking of us. Your kindness and generosity made the day truly memorable, and our residents thoroughly enjoyed this wonderful gesture.

Thank you for sharing the spirit of Easter with us.

05/04/2026

He is Risen! Wishing You a Blessed Resurrection Sunday ✝️

On this holy day, we celebrate the hope and promise of Easter — the triumph of life over death and light over darkness.

At Juana Maria Frail Aged Home, we are reminded of the peace, renewal, and grace that Resurrection Sunday brings. May this day fill your heart with faith, your home with joy, and your life with love.

From our home to yours, we wish all our residents, their families, and the community of Ladysmith a truly blessed Easter Sunday. 🌿💛

“He is not here; He has risen, just as He said.” – Matthew 28:6

03/04/2026

Good Friday Reflections

At Juana Maria Frail Aged Home, today we pause in quiet remembrance of the ultimate act of love and sacrifice. Good Friday invites us to reflect on the strength of faith, the beauty of compassion, and the hope that comes with grace.

As we spend this day in stillness and reverence, we hold dear the comfort of community, the power of prayer, and the promise of new beginnings.

Wishing all our residents, families, staff, and friends a peaceful and blessed Good Friday.

“By His wounds, we are healed.” – Isaiah 53:5

02/04/2026

First Wednesday of the month vibes at Juana Maria Frail Aged Home

esterday marked the first Wednesday of the month – which means one thing at Juana Maria Frail Aged Home… Braai Wednesday! 🔥

There’s something truly special about gathering together around the braai, sharing good food, warm conversations, and plenty of laughter. These moments remind us just how important community and connection are in our daily lives.

A special word of thanks to Shirly Lane resident and keen photographer, Ken Saunders, for capturing these beautiful moments for us. 📸 Your eye for detail and passion for photography help us preserve memories that our residents and their families can treasure.

Ken took a wonderful set of photos, which we are excited to share today – more moments to follow soon.

01/04/2026

We are absolutely delighted with our beautiful new garden gazebos! 🌿

Recently installed by the generous team at Canvas and Tent, these stunning additions have created the perfect shaded spaces for our residents to relax, visit, and enjoy the peaceful surroundings of our gardens.

There is something truly special about spending time outdoors, and now our residents can do so in comfort under these brand-new gazebos – a wonderful enhancement to our home.

A heartfelt thank you to Canvas and Tent for your generosity and for helping us keep our gardens a place of beauty, rest, and joy for all who call Juana Maria Frail Aged Home their home.

31/03/2026

JUANA MARIA BOOKSHOP
📚 📖 📚 📖 📚 📖 📚

Sadly, the fuel price increase may have halted some Easter travel plans. Don't despair, help is near !

There's a cheaper get-away you can embark upon. Pop into our bookshop and travel into a magical world of great reading material !

We have thousands of pre-loved books, at rock-bottom prices. With a few good reads, you are sure to be kept happily entertained during the upcoming holiday period.

📚 Open Wednesday 2pm - 5pm
📚 Open Saturday 9am - 1pm

🐰🥚🐰🥚🐰🥚🐰🥚🐰 🥚

31/03/2026

A Beautiful Donation Rooted in Care and Community 🌹

Juana Maria Frail Aged Home recently received a truly special donation — 25 rose bushes from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission in Pretoria. Carefully trimmed and packed, these Iceberg roses arrived ready to be planted and to begin their new journey at our home.

While it may seem like a simple gift of flowers, this story is really about the people behind it. One of our residents, Mrs Marieta van Schalkwyk — who is deeply passionate about our home and her fellow residents — played a key role in making this happen. Together with local contractor Vincent Horn, who has been involved with the Commission for many, many years, she helped arrange this generous donation.

Once the roses arrived, the work truly began. With the help of our dedicated grounds team, Marieta ensured that each rose bush was thoughtfully planted across the property, so that all residents and visitors will be able to enjoy their beauty.

Marieta’s love for roses is unmistakable. She fondly speaks about the many varieties she has grown over the years, with a special affection for the Ingrid Bergman rose. “While roses are a lot of work, the reward is worth it,” she says. “Each rose is unique in its own way.” She particularly enjoys them as cutting roses, appreciating their strong blooms, long stems, and hardy nature.

She also shared a simple but meaningful piece of wisdom: “Keep their heads in the sun and their feet in the water.” Much of her knowledge, she says, comes from her daughter Cindy, who has attended courses led by world-renowned flower experts. Marieta believes that working with nature, rather than against it, brings the most rewarding results.

These beautiful roses have now become part of the Juana Maria story — a living reminder of kindness, collaboration, and care. In time, they will bring joy, and many peaceful moments to all who call our home their own.

A heartfelt thank you to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Vincent Horn, Marieta van Schalkwyk, and everyone involved in making this meaningful donation possible.

We can’t wait for summer to arrive and to see these roses in full bloom!

30/03/2026

High School Sweethearts at Juana Maria Frail Aged Home 💐

Friday was a very special day at Juana Maria Frail Aged Home, as Elizabeth Homes residents Gert and Lynette Els celebrated an incredible 64 years of marriage, surrounded by friends and fellow residents in their beautiful garden.

Their love story began 69 years ago at Empangeni High School, where they first met. Lynette’s father worked for the British Navy, while Gert came from a farming family. Five years later, their journey together as husband and wife began.

The couple went on to raise four sons and one daughter — coincidentally, the same number and order as Gert’s own family: four boys followed by a girl.

Gert and Lynette moved to Ladysmith and settled into Juana Maria on 4 July 2020. Since then, they have been enjoying their retirement alongside fellow residents, with the added joy of having one of their sons living nearby.

They describe their life at Elizabeth Homes as peaceful and quiet — a place filled with comfort and companionship.

In a beautiful display of enduring love, Gert went down on one knee to present Lynette with potted flowers and once again asked her to spend the rest of their lives together. It was a deeply touching moment that warmed everyone’s hearts.

We wish the Els family many more years of love, happiness, and cherished memories right here at Juana Maria Frail Aged Home.