Carer of the Year awarded
An IRT recreational activities officer has been recognised as the Carer of the Year, winning the top gong in this year’s National Nursing Home Awareness Week Awards.
A recreational activities officer with an abounding love for her job and a passion for making a difference has taken out the top title of Carer of the Year in the 2010 National Nursing Home Awareness Week Awards this week.
The IRT Moruya Village employee, Janine Peucker, was recognised for her efforts in delivering the innovative program entitled the ‘Moruya Taskforce’, which seeks to benefit residents and improve their quality of life.
The voluntary activities program, developed in 2009, provides residents with a sense of purpose by matching participants with various tasks around the facility and its grounds.
The judges ruled that the taskforce promotes choice, autonomy and the joy of working together for the benefit of all.
Ms Peucker said that the program made a very real difference in a meaningful way.
“One day I stood back and watched the residents,” said Ms Peucker. “I noticed that they participated in activities but they needed something more than just playing bingo and games.
“Some of the residents had depression and loneliness and were starting to withdraw. I saw someone was starting to fold the linen and that’s when I thought it would be a good idea to give them jobs.
“One resident is now the post master who picks up the mail every day, someone does the flower arranging and another person folds the serviettes. A lady sets up the table and a few people tend to the garden.
“It’s totally voluntary but since I started this people who didn’t want to do anything initally have seen others participate and have since asked to come in and help.”
Participating residents, who own the program, are supported by staff. Ms Pecuker expects that the taskforce will attract more volunteers over time, as there has been an increase in the numbers, with a total of 19 current participants of the 28 residents who live at the village.
“We want our village to be their home as much as we can and we want them to feel like it is their place. And they enjoy doing these tasks, with a big smile on their face.
“What I have found is that, as a result of this program, the resident’s behaviour and outlook has changed to be more positive. It encourages socialisation and the depression scales have gone down. From the comments I get, many of them don’t seem as lonely any more.”
Even though Ms Pecuker has worked at the facility for six years, she has never tired of her job. The most rewarding part of it, she said, is seeing a once-socially isolated resident come out from their shell as a result of participating in the facility’s activities.
“I think I’ve got the best job I the world. I just love getting the residents to enjoy their life.
“I just love my job so we do different things. We never just do activities for activities sake and I try to make it really enjoyable and fun.”
Ms Peucker, who was honoured by a morning tea at the village last Tuesday, will be officially presented with her award at a ceremony in Brisbane tomorrow.
The awards were run by Daniel’s Shield, an arm of Community Outreach Ministries in Sydney, and the winner was selected by a panel chaired by Lady Flo Bjelke-Petersen.
