Spring brings second love at Springwood Greens Care Community
19th October 2026 | 4 min readJohn and Frances found companionship and love after meeting at Springwood Greens Care Community. Brought together by a lucky gold chocolate coin, a shared love of education and some friendly competition at trivia, the couple celebrated their relationship with a commitment ceremony surrounded by their family and Care Community.
Love at first sight at Springwood Greens
Two residents proved love is ageless by tying the knot in a commitment ceremony at Springwood Greens Care Community.
For former St Columbus High School computer science teacher John, it was love at first sight. Chancing his luck quite literally, John took the opportunity to gift Frances a lucky gold chocolate coin in a red envelope for Lunar New Year, shortly after she came to live at Springwood Greens in February 2024.
“I wanted to get Frances’s attention, but I never thought anything would come from it,” says John.
For avid coin collector Frances, it was a sign. John’s gold coin added to a collection of 100 coins that began when she was six years old and includes a 1919 penny.
Finding connection through shared interests
The two have been inseparable since, enjoying healthy competition at trivia and moving rooms to be closer to one another. A love of education also connected the couple, with Frances fondly remembering working as a teacher’s aide while raising her family.
“I liked him the moment I saw him,” says Frances. “He’s good-looking and intelligent, and he’s very cheeky. He always has a story to tell and he treats me like a princess.”
“I love it when she smiles,” says John. “Her face lights up.”
Celebrating their commitment at Springwood Greens
A beautiful commitment ceremony at Springwood Greens was the latest chapter in their love story.
“It’s about committing our love, trust and loyalty to each other,” says John. “Coming together has reawakened the joys of having that one special person in our lives that gives us completeness.”
Eight of the couple’s nine grandchildren from their first marriages led them in their walk down the aisle.
For older Australians, Frances’s advice is simple:
“Never give up on hope. Never say never. It doesn’t matter how old you are. Love is love.”
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Commonly asked questions
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John and Frances met at Springwood Greens Care Community after Frances came to live there in February 2024.
John gave Frances a lucky gold chocolate coin in a red envelope for Lunar New Year. As an avid coin collector, Frances saw the gift as a meaningful addition to the collection she had been building since she was six years old.
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John and Frances connected through their shared love of education, conversation and friendly competition at trivia.
John previously worked as a computer science teacher, while Frances fondly remembers working as a teacher’s aide while raising her family. As their relationship grew, they moved rooms to be closer to each other.
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John and Frances celebrated their relationship with a commitment ceremony at Springwood Greens Care Community.
Their families were part of the celebration, with eight of the couple’s nine grandchildren from their first marriages leading them in their walk down the aisle.
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Residential aged care can provide opportunities for residents to meet people, build friendships and form meaningful relationships through shared interests, activities and everyday experiences.
John and Frances’s story shows that meaningful connections and new relationships can develop at any stage of life.
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Care Communities can support meaningful relationships by creating opportunities for residents to spend time together, participate in shared activities and connect through common interests.
Understanding each resident’s preferences and supporting their personal choices can also help them maintain existing relationships and build new ones.
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Companionship and meaningful relationships can contribute to a person’s sense of connection, belonging and enjoyment in everyday life.
For John and Frances, spending time together, sharing stories and participating in activities such as trivia brought renewed happiness and companionship.