Donna was busily pursuing a real estate career, when she met an older customer and the experience changed her life, and ultimately the lives of many others.
‘I had no experience in aged care, but I knew I wanted to work with older people after I sold a property to a retiree, Harry,’ Donna says.
‘He needed to move after his wife died, and we became good friends through the relocation process. From our friendship I learned that older people should be celebrated and acknowledged for their rich life experience and contribution to society.
‘I helped Harry set up his new place. He’d had such a big life, an amazing personal history – working in the navy under the command of Lord Mount Batten and receiving invitations and Christmas cards from the (then) HRH the Prince of Wales.’
Harry wanted to live until 100 so he would receive a telegram from the Queen. Sadly, he died two years before his wish could be granted, at the age of 98. After he died, the local paper wrote an article about Harry’s incredible life, and Donna still carries it with her – a reminder of why she works in aged care.
At its core, aged and health care is personal - for the care recipient and care provider – which is why it’s vital we value our care teams and help them to be well aligned, trained and appreciated. When we value the people who care, we are valuing the people they care for.
Like many in the aged care and health sector, Donna has a long record of service. Her first 10 years were with HammondCare At Home, supporting older people to live independently at home longer. She valued the opportunity to be like an ‘apprentice Jedi Knight’ – as she describes it – learning more and more across a number of roles in that time.
With the support of a former manager, Donna decided to continue her learning journey and transferred to work in residential care, bringing with her the same love for older people and a passion for their care. She has continued to grow in her chosen carer and is now the Residential Manager at HammondCare Horsley – an eight-cottage dementia care village.
‘Whether we’re supporting someone in their home or in a residential care setting we provide the same level of compassionate care - tailored for the individual. We honour their personal life story, their passions, and their family history,’ Donna says.
‘My current team and previous team all come to work for the same reason – to help people in need. We all want to make sure we’re giving our best, every day. Then it’s everyone’s success and reward. And the people we serve benefit, first and foremost.’