Staff Spotlight: Leonora Brown, Home Care Worker, Salvos Home Care

Please introduce yourself. Can you tell us a little bit about who you are? 

My name is Leonora Brown. I have come to the Aged Care Sector by a circuitous route. When I left high school, I began working as a laboratory technician in the textile industry and as an in-house model, modelling the latest company designs in women’s fashions for the buyers. I worked in this industry for a number of years before marriage and family.  

I became a sole parent when my three children were very young and through the support of my mother and father, I was able to provide a supportive and stable family upbringing. During this time, I worked at various employment, including as a cleaner, aerobics instructor, to name a couple. When my children were in high school, I went back to study as a mature aged student and gained a Diploma in Horticulture from what is now the University of Western Sydney, an area in which I worked in varying positions for about twelve years. During this time, I also gained a Bachelor of Arts from ANU in Canberra and a Postgraduate Diploma in Islamic Studies from University of New England this last which I did by correspondence. I was still working in Horticulture in Canberra.  

However, I also thought that I had life skills and experience to offer if someone would listen. I enrolled at TAFE in Certificate 2 in Community Services as a testing ground. I then did Certificate 3. I secured a position in one organisation and which, I was elated to obtain. After eighteen months I felt that The Salvation Army offered a better work/life balance and was accepted for employment within their organisation. Overall, I have been working now in Aged Care for more than two and a half years. I am 76 years old and a great grandmother.  

What do you like to do in your spare time? 

I look forward to doing Tai Chi on a Saturday morning in the local park, I enjoy working in my garden and the peace and interaction with nature that it gives me, I belong to a Wednesday morning Walking Club followed by a coffee after, I’m a regular blood donor, I like to keep up with current affairs, I like to keep in regular contact with my extended family and friends, mostly by phone conversation as they are either interstate or some distance from me, and I enjoy reading.   

What aspect of working in the aged care industry is most rewarding to you? 

I think one of the most rewarding aspects of working in the Aged Care Industry is the opportunity of meeting a diverse range of older people. In the course of providing services and developing strong and rewarding relationships, one discovers interesting and compelling life stories. Also, as an aged person myself I find I can converse relatively easily as I have grown up in similar times. 

What do you enjoy most about your role with The Salvation Army Aged Care? 

What I enjoy most about my role with The Salvation Army is my ability to provide an environment for the client where they feel confident, know that I respect their privacy, that I am empathetic, that I have strong ethical beliefs and that I have good listening skills. I also enjoy being able to show interest in my clients and assure them that they always have my full attention, that I will endeavour to do my best for them and that I am open to any suggestions that the client may make.  

What does leadership mean to you? 

To me, leadership means developing good relationships with fellow team workers, behaving in a respectful manner to them, listening to their ideas, to provide encouragement and help to them, to carry out the organisation’s goals and behave in a manner that is representative of the Salvation Army’s expectations. 

What advice would you give other employees of The Salvation Army Aged Care working in similar roles? 

I would offer the following advice and encouragement to other employees of The Salvation Army Aged Care working in similar roles: 

• Be a good listener and use clear language when speaking to clients 
• Be empathetic, respectful, caring and supportive 
• Be prepared to multitask as requirements can vary from service-to-service or occasionally change at short notice 
• Organise time management efficiently 
• Look after one’s own health and well-being 
• Have a positive and enthusiastic attitude - be in the moment 
• Know that you have done the best for your client 
• Talk to your supervisor if there is something that is worrying you whether in reference to a client or your capabilities.