Coronavirus: Age just another bridge to cross

Jan Bressan’s sons told her she needed to prioritise what was ­important right now — so she went off to play 18 holes of golf.

Bridge players Christine Algie, Ilana Glaser, Vili Nikolovska and Tamara Stone at Sydney’s Double Bay. Picture: Ryan Osland

Christine Algie’s children have told her she needs to stay home but it will take much more than a pandemic to get her to give up playing bridge.

The 71-year-old turned up for her regular card game at the Grand Slam Bridge Centre in ­Sydney’s eastern suburb of Double Bay on Thursday.

She said everyone at the table had been told by their offspring to self-isolate.

“All of us have kids,” she said. “They say we should stay home because we’re elderly and vulnerable, but we are not listening to our children; we are not going to stay home.”

Outside, the world may have stopped in its tracks, but the 16 players who gathered were fiercely focused on their bidding.

Ms Algie said her volunteer roles had been cancelled, so all that was left was to play bridge and go to the beach.

Rival Tamara Stone, 77, said she was getting on with life.

“It’s no different from influenza, cancer and all the rest,” she said. “Life goes on and it always shall.”

Owner Paul Marston said his bridge club had been hit hard by the coronavirus as many people were choosing to stay away, but his overheads remained. Ordinarily, he would expect more than 80 players to attend, he said.

However, for some people it was important to continue the recreational activity.

One woman had said her son wanted her to give up work and bridge. “She said, ‘I think he wants me to die of loneliness’,” he said.

In the neighbouring suburb of Rose Bay, the Woollahra Golf Club was bustling.

Golfer Jan Bressan said her sons had told her she needed to prioritise what was important — so she went off to play 18 holes.

“They would die if they knew where I was right now,” Ms Bressan said.

Armed with her hand sanitiser, the 73-year-old said she was ­enjoying the sun and social interaction. She had given up pilates and swimming for now — but golf and tennis were another story.

She said she was sticking to the activities she really enjoyed, but was being cautious.

“For example, we didn’t even touch the flag stick today, we were very aware and I think that’s the difference,” she said.

Fellow player Danielle Bingham, who works part-time in a school office, said she had decided to stop the gym but golf was good for her mental wellbeing, and an opportunity to get some fresh air.

“It’s better than staying at home doing your housework,” she said.

Woollahra Golf Club general manager Guy Gibson said numbers on the golf course were down only slightly. He stressed that players brought their own equipment and could maintain a safe distance from each other.

“We’re doing everything in our power to continue, while we can, to at least offer the opportunity to play the sport, even if the hospitality can’t continue,” he said.

“Isolation, particularly for older people and those who benefit from the regular group activity, I can­­ ­imagine that would not be good from a mental health perspective.”