Worker's legendary efforts win praise

LEGEND: Carolyn Wakely (second from left), the Rahiri Bupa legend, with husband Dennis, care home manager Lesley Nilsson, and Bupa acting financial advisor Julie Sellar. Photo / Supplied

Dannevirke's Carolyn Wakely is a legend and puts the residents and staff at Bupa's Rahiri Care Home at the centre of everything she does.

She is committed to her work at Rahiri where she has been for more than 20 years and her dedication has been recognised by Bupa with a legend's award.

"Carolyn has integrity and is a trustworthy and reliable member of our staff and has been instrumental in the transition to the Bupa way," care home manager Lesley Nilsson said.

"Carolyn is an amazing caring person and is well liked by her peers and is a respected role model."

Team leader of Rahiri's domestic staff, Carolyn works tirelessly to ensure the facility is well presented and the residents are comfortable and happy in their rooms.

In her laundry duties, Carolyn takes personal pride in the care of residents' clothing and regularly takes home clothes that need mending and takes her own sewing machine to work when drapes and linen need fixing.

"Carolyn is extremely supportive of management and staff and always goes the extra mile," Lesley said. Going that extra mile means Carolyn volunteers her time to go out of town with residents on van rides and she is happy to help in an emergency to take residents to medical appointments.

Christmas is a special time and all year Carolyn hunts out bargains to create decorations.

ACHIEVEMENT: Three registered nurses at Rahiri have completed their InterRai Training, a national assessment tool in aged care. Photo / Supplied

"She has done this for many years and most of our large collection has been made by Carolyn in her spare time," Lesley said. "We now have a special room to accommodate these treasures and every December she co-opts elves to help put up the decorations throughout Rahiri."

For Carolyn the reward comes from the delight in the residents' faces when they see the effort she has made to make Christmas a special time.

It is Carolyn's quiet, enthusiastic personality that encourages other members of the Rahiri staff to join in and dress up in costumes she has made for all the special occasions celebrated at the care home, including St Patrick's Day, Easter, Melbourne Cup and Christmas.

Carolyn is a talented craftswoman and in her own time assists with the activity programme. Even husband Dennis is often seen at Rahiri with hammer in hand helping her. The care home's cat, Persil, is also looked after by Carolyn.

This year, to commemorate the 100th year since the Anzacs' Gallipoli campaign, Carolyn created a display of photographs and write-ups in recognition of her mother-in-law, Betty Wakely, who has been a resident at Rahiri for more than four years. Mrs Wakely is the last surviving World War II servicewoman in Dannevirke.

Carolyn also gives her time to our community and last year organised a food hamper for a local family who lost everything in a fire. This year she has helped collect donations of clothing and other goods to fill a container to send to Vanuatu.