We are delighted to introduce Wendy Newton from Japara’s Vonlea Manor facility and recipient of The OSCARS Recognition of Excellence program.
OSCAR Care Group recognises Wendy, a dedicated, hard-working & friendly cleaning & laundry supervisor, with excellent communication skills.
Wendy first visited Japara Vonlea Manor over thirty years ago, when she was looking for a facility for her Dad. Little did she know that one day she would be working there! As there were no openings, Wendy took on the care of her dad and her in-laws and found that she enjoyed interacting with the elderly. During this time, she decided to pursue a career in Aged Care. She has been a dedicated cleaner for Japara for 15 years and is now the Cleaning & Laundry Supervisor for Japara Vonlea Manor!
In her spare time, Wendy loves spending time with her grandchildren and is pleased that her daughter Reanne is very proud of her.
Douglas Gillan, Japara’s Regional Hospitality Manager, says “Wendy has worked in the cleaning and laundry departments at Vonlea for many years and always goes out of her way to help the residents and staff with any concerns they have.
Wendy attends the morning management meeting and goes out of her way to communicate the expectations to the staff working in all areas of the home. The pride that Wendy has for her work at Vonlea is outstanding and we feel that Wendy is very deserving of this award.”
Wendy loves working at Japara Vonlea Manor. She says that “working in Aged Care is so rewarding, and the long-standing staff at Vonlea are a great team to work with”.
Set among beautiful gardens, Japara Vonlea Manor is a welcoming and family-friendly environment delivering a community of love for 38 Aged Care residents in Geelong.
When asked what her career aspirations are, Wendy shares, “I am proud to have reached my goal of being a supervisor, training staff and becoming the OHS Representative. I have worked hard to achieve many Health & Hygiene certificates. I will happily see out my career in this role.” This is an example of the immense job satisfaction that staff in Aged Care can receive.
Teamwork during the pandemic
During the pandemic, Wendy and the team at Japara Vonlea Manor are supporting the residents to understand the necessary but challenging changes.
Despite a bigger workload with extra sanitising and cleaning, as well as wearing full PPE clothing, the team ensure that they have a laugh each day. They sing and dance with the residents, keeping everyone motivated during lockdowns when visitors and excursions are not permitted.
Wendy, who works so hard, is most deserving of The OSCARS Recognition of Excellence.
