Blog

As we celebrate National Palliative Care Week, few are more committed than Margaret Robinson to the right of every Australian to expect excellence in end-of-life care. Margaret is the Customer Relations and Admissions Coordinator at NewDirection Care Bellmere in Queensland which is one of the most innovative and ground-breaking aged care facilities in Australia. She…

After raising her two children, Laura Wykman took on a new journey in her life to be a House Companion™ Support Worker at NewDirection Care, Bellmere, where she cares for 7 residents. It is a job, she says, that has fulfilled her dreams.  Laura Wykman has a big heart. She loves to care for others.…

Kerri Barbeler, Lifestyle and Events Manager at NewDirection Care Bellmere, knows precisely what it is like to be a patient relying on others for care and treatment. Kerri spent years caring for a disabled daughter and these experiences motivated her to follow a career in aged care. “I had a daughter who lived with spina…

When Australians think of celebrating a person’s contribution to the community, we often think of people establishing charities, leading public campaigns to right wrongs and saving lives in busy emergency wards. And, yes, all those achievements are wonderful and worthy of celebration, worthy of all the accolades they bring along with the gratitude of the…

Jim McDonald loves a neatly clipped lawn. He took such care with his own lawn at the family home in Melbourne’s Ringwood that complete strangers would knock on the door to ask who looked after the garden, and if they were looking for more work. And it’s that love for lawns and gardening that stands…

Alyssa Jenkins loves her job at NewDirection Care, Bellmere, where she works as a qualified physiotherapist. She also manages the Allied Health services from the Wellness Centre onsite. Working at one of Australia’s most innovative and successful aged and dementia care facilities is a role Alyssa has come to cherish. “I’ve loved it from the…

As a House Companion™ Support Worker for seven aged care residents, Mandy Armstrong cooks, cleans, and helps others live the best life they can – and she wouldn’t have it any other way. Caring for others is something Mandy Armstrong is passionate about. In fact, it was her own experiences in New Zealand when her…

Childhood memories are among our most precious. They stay with us as we grow, provide the foundations for who we are and preserve the most poignant moments of our lives. For Donna Maloney, daughter of 90-year-old NewDirection Care resident Ralph Grimston, one of those memories is of her father Ralph working late at night in…

Written by Michael Sheather Kay Whittington-Smith always looked and felt younger than her years. Her daughters Kerryn and Danielle, love to tell a story about her from their childhood that says much about just how beautiful Kay was as a young woman. “As a child I believed that my mother was the most beautiful mum”…

This week sees the launch of NewDirection Care’s Unsung Heroes magazine. The magazine will feature real-life stories from NewDirection Care’s Bellmere, QLD residents, written by award winning journalist Michael Sheather.’ Natasha Chadwick, CEO and founder of NewDirection Care, says: “Telling our NewDirection Care resident’s story is a privilege, allowing us to gently pull back the…