The aged care sector has had its fair share of negative press in recent times, and residents at Wirraminna Care in Williamstown have decided they are tired of hearing about the bad stuff.
Independent unit resident, David Buckle and his wife, Sue, have lived on the property for three years, and felt compelled to give The Leader a call.
“Having read so much in the city press about how bad seniors’ care is and how bad some of these places are... I thought you need to have a good news story about aged care, and this, as far as my wife and I are concerned, is it,” David said.
“We don’t have any direct connection or anything to win by saying that, it’s just a fact. We’re very privileged to live in a place like this.”
There is a sense of pride amongst the residents at Wirraminna that is immediately evident when walking in the front door.
To them, this is not a “facility”.
This is home.
“I’ve been here four years and to me it’s home. I feel just like that, it is home,” said 98 year old resident, Dorothy Kelly, a former registered nurse who is, by all reports, excellent at keeping the Wirraminna nursing staff “on their toes”.
Eighty-six year old Brigitte Mamerow, who immigrated to Australia in 1954, agrees.
“I grew up in the middle of the war in East Germany, and this is the best time I’ve ever had in my life, being here,” she said.
“We feel safe and protected.”
Feeling that way has been particularly important for the residents during the pandemic.
They describe themselves as “lucky” to be in a place where rather than have their liberties stripped away without consultation, they have contributed to managing their own COVID-19 response.
“They actually helped make the choices along the way of what sort of restrictions there would be, because this is their home, so it’s up to them to make the choices,” explained general manager, Ms Anne Cross.
“Including an occasional little foray to the pub as soon as lockdown was over!”
That’s not to say there aren’t rules still to follow, such as limitations on visitors and staff being required to wear masks if closer than 1.5 metres to the residents, but it appears to be managed with good-humoured pragmatism by this hardy generation.
When asked if COVID-19 had been a challenge, resident “trouble-maker” Val Grigg was matter-of-fact in her response.
“Yes and no. We just knew we had to stay in and then it got to the stage we could have visitors, that was good, and now we can go out occasionally and that’s even better still. Everything’s fine,” she said.
The sprightly 89 year old has lived at Wirraminna for over six years.
“I’m quite satisfied here, they look after us well and everyone gets on together and I’ve got my own garden,” she said.
Just don’t go anywhere near her when she’s got a garden hose in her hand, warns 84 year old Aileen Hurst, after one day ending up “drenched” by a cheeky squirt.
Aside from Val’s mischievousness, Aileen wells up with gratitude for her home and the staff and friends she shares it with.
“They’re marvellous, they’re going to make it so I can spread my husband’s ashes out here and that’s all I ask,” she said.
Aileen’s husband, Bill passed away last year not long after the couple moved into a shared room together.
With the home currently under construction from 23 to 31 beds, after the extension is complete, Aileen will have a place set aside just for Bill’s ashes.
It’s those small kindnesses that make Wirraminna special, the residents say.
“The staff for one thing, there’s no them and us. We’re all sort of in together, so to speak,” said 91 year old Pat James.
The residents’ lives are enriched by activities such as bowls and bingo, and ‘Move it or lose it’, a Tuesday afternoon exercise class run by Gail Kurtz, of particular importance to resident, Kathy Taylor, 81.
“The things she brings for us to do makes us use our hands and our legs, because I’m not that good otherwise. I sit most of the day, but Gail gets us going,” Kathy explained.
It may not seem like much, but when you learn that Kathy came to Wirraminna earlier in the year under palliative care, barely able to sit up and eat, you gain an understanding of her determination and how much of a positive influence her new home has had on her.
It’s exactly the kind of good news story David had hoped to highlight.
“The way people are cared for, the training people have got, the compassion that they have... This is definitely one of the best,” he said.
“The only other move Sue and I are going to make, and we’ve been all around Australia, is up into here in 20 years’ time when I’m 100!
“We’re not planning to go anywhere now. This is home.”
