NEWPORT, Manchester — No doubt, the combination of personalities of the 12 residents currently at Viv’s Exclusive Rest Home in Manchester contributes significantly to the character of the facility.

However, centenarian Headley Smith has earned a spot as a standout for more reasons than one.

Originally from Newfield District in south Manchester, the Rest Home which is in the neighbouring community of Newport, became his place of abode eight years ago, making him the longest- servied resident.

On his 100th birthday, on May 15, he was also specially recognised as the oldest resident there.

Although having many years of life experience and his own personal achievements, Smith has managed to leave an impression on his caregivers by simply displaying good manners, a concern for others, and some amount of self-sufficiency.

“He is a model resident. He always says please and thank you,” proprietor of the home Vivienne Mowatt told the Jamaica Observer.

Mitzie Clarke, who is in her sixth year as one of his nurses, said that he often takes time out to ask about her son.

While it is particularly important for him to have his hat and wallet, she said that, generally, he adjusts well to “every and anything”.

Smith, in a conversation with the Sunday Observer on a recent visit, said that he enjoys living at the Home, but he is happy that he was able to build a house in Newfield in his younger years.

He said that, although the “pay never so grand” at the Public Works Department where he spent his working life, he was able to rent four different houses and then build his 10-room dwelling house after venturing out from Auctembeddie in the parish, where he lived originally, to find his own life.

“It was cheap days,” said Smith.

He remembered doing subsistence farming, playing domino as the only game he loved, and reflects on playing the mouth organ as an art he taught himself.

“Yuh learn yuhself. Nobody can teach you to play. Yuh play likkle by likkle until yuh become ‘climatise to it,” he said.

Smith said that he has been baptised for many years, but recalled a time in his life when he “love rum bad”.

He is now blind in both eyes due to glaucoma, hard of hearing, and is mainly confined to a wheelchair because of the amputation of one of his legs as a result of poor circulation, but Smith’s caregivers described him as independent and alert.

Nurse Clarke said that he takes great pleasure in feeding himself, brushing his teeth, taking off his shirt, moving from his wheelchair to his bed with limited assistance, singing along when he hears a song he knows and whenever he is taken to the doctor he always inquires about his medical prognosis from her afterward.

Smith, who is predeceased by his wife of over 20 years and one of his two children, told the Sunday Observer that he is “happy with life” and would like to live as long as is possible.

He described his 100th birthday party, which as attended members of his church, a grandchild, and residents and staff of the home as a “lovely” and “nice” experience.

Mowatt, who has worked as a registered nurse in England and New York prior to starting the home, said that it is customary for all the birthdays of residents to be celebrated.

She said that the home started 17 years ago and her father was among the first residents.

Viv’s Exclusive Rest Home, Mowatt said, not only came out of a need to provide a better environment for her father, who was in a nursing home at the time, but also out of her love for the profession that she has practised for more than 40 years.