Celebrating Riverview Gardens Aged Care Centre

“Our commitment is to strive for the best attainable quality of life for all residents, meeting their needs physically, intellectually, socially, emotionally and spiritually.” This statement to residents marked the opening words for what was then known as The Salvation Army’s ‘Riverview Gardens Hostel’ original mission statement.  

Now, 50 years on, this commitment to residents at Riverview Gardens Aged Care Centre (“Riverview Gardens”) still stands, with the Centre having built a credible reputation within the community as an organisation that genuinely cares for others in need without discrimination, regardless of their personal, financial and medical circumstances.  

When considering the Centre’s impact over the last 50 years, it is only fair that long-serving staff members are also recognised for their hard work and dedication to the Centre and its residents. Some of these long serving members include Penny Palmer, the Lifestyle Coordinator, Karen Ball who is a full time Assistant in Nursing (“AIN”) and Assistant Nurse, Sandra James.  

Penny, who has worked at Riverview Gardens for over 22 years, brings fun and excitement to residents and their families, and she has also undertaken a substantial amount of training in dementia. These online and outside-of-work courses have helped her to further understand the complexities of dementia and she believes this has helped her to better understand and support the residents. Penny says she loves working in the dementia unit. “I find it very rewarding. I just think that if I can give the residents with dementia something to make them feel valued then I feel I’ve done my job.”  

Sandra has been an Assistant Nurse for 22 years at Riverview Gardens and she also has early memories of working in the old nursing home. Sandra says the most rewarding part of her role is, “being able to help the residents.” Working in the aged care sector has meant that she has met lots of people; residents and staff and heard their stories. “It is a privilege to be able to help the residents and family through this chapter of their life,” she states. 

Karen is another long-serving staff member at Riverview Gardens who has been with the Centre for 15 years this October as an Assistant in Nursing (“AIN”). She has many fond memories from her time at Riverview Gardens that stem back even as far as her first week of work – despite being “a little nervous.”  Despite her new-job nerves, the existing staff gave her encouragement and that feeling of her team’s support has stuck with her.  

Other fond memories for Karen include working, “in the old nursing home, having fun with a great bunch of staff and the jokes that were played.” The Centre itself has also seen many changes throughout its 50 years, with Karen noting that a new nursing home has since been built and she remembers watching the transformation through the construction process.  

But perhaps the memories and moments that resonate with her most include those of human connection with the residents. Karen says that her time with The Salvation Army means having a “love for the residents and love for my job,” and her advice for those looking to enter the aged care industry is to be encouraged by the fact that, “you will make a difference in the lives of the resident’s and their families.”