Whiddon Maclean to celebrate Aged Care Employee Day in what has been a challenging year with the COVID-19 pandemic

Whiddon Maclean will celebrate Aged Care Employee Day (ACED) on Friday 7 August, an official day created in 2018 by the not-for-profit aged care provider, to recognise and celebrate the thousands of people who work in the aged care industry across Australia.

Chris Mamarelis, CEO of Whiddon, said this year has been a particularly challenging year, so it is more important than ever that we shine a light on the amazing people who have chosen aged care as a career.

“Aged care employees are caring heroes who go above and beyond each and every day to positively impact the lives of senior Australians. I am incredibly grateful when I see the way our employees have continued to provide exceptional care and show such passion for making a difference throughout this pandemic.

“These aged care heroes continue to go above and beyond, despite their own personal challenges and uncertainty they may be facing. They offer comfort, support and love, and create smiles on the faces of the wonderful people that we are privileged to care for. They are doing an incredible job in helping to keep residents safe, well, connected and engaged during these challenging times.

“Aged Care Employee Day pays tribute to the valuable work of everyone working in aged care, regardless of their role. It is an official day created just for them, to celebrate all they do, and provide an opportunity for the community to say thank you. We are very proud to have brought this day to life a few years ago and to see it celebrated so widely now,” Mr Mamarelis said.

John Ashby, Director Care Services at Whiddon Maclean said that even though this year’s celebrations are a little different, he’s glad that the team can still celebrate their tremendous efforts for the year they’ve had so far.

“At Maclean, our teams have continuously gone above and beyond to provide wonderful care and support to our residents.

“Given the current pandemic doesn’t allow us to celebrate in our usual ways, we’ll be stocking up the staff room with treats for the team to enjoy during their shift on Friday.” Mr Ashby said.

“During this pandemic, I’ve seen my team’s dedication to ensure residents are kept safe, engaged and happy. One of our Assistants in Nursing, Andrew has a positive can do attitude. He is acutely aware that often the little things we do that make a huge difference in the lives of our residents.During the pandemic, Andrew used his previous hairdressing skills to assist with resident’s haircuts because he knew how important it was for them to look and feel their best. He is a true asset to this team!” Mr Ashby said.