Aged Care Employee Day celebrates those who give their all for those in their care, like Shepparton’s Nancy Blake.
An endorsed enrolled nurse and team leader at Mercy Place Shepparton, Ms Blake was proud of her job.
“I’ve been a nurse for nearly eight years,” Ms Blake said.
“It’s just the self-satisfaction — when it comes to work you know you gave your best to the residents.
“I love caring for the residents, I love organising anything for them and I love my staff.
“They really care for the residents and we treat them like our parents and grandparents.”
Caring for the elderly was part of the culture in the Philippines, where Ms Blake was from.
Not long after she arrived in Australia in 2009, Ms Blake decided she wanted to study.
“It started with an ad on television and I thought, I’d like to do that job — thinking about my grandparents who we used to look after,” she said.
“In the Philippines, if our parents get older and they can’t look after themselves any more, it is the job of the children to look after their parents.
“So I was used to that and had a little bit of experience.”
The aged care industry has felt the full weight of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ms Blake said staff had been really good at helping each other out, covering when others were struck down by illness.
“Wearing (PPE) all day for eight hour shifts is really hard,” she said.
“But if it is for the residents and to keep ourselves and other staff members safe, then we’ll do it with no complaints.”
Her message to other aged care staff on their special day was to “keep going”.
“Be a team player, treat residents with respect and give them the care they deserve,” she said.
“We are here for the residents.”
Aged Care Employee Day was celebrated on Sunday, August 7.