All in the family at Baptistcare Kalkarni Residential Care
Jenny Longo and Debbie Watts passion for their work at Baptistcare Kalkarni residential care has inspired their adult children to follow in their footsteps.
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19 July 2021
News
| Aged Care Homes
Jenny Longo and Debbie Watts' passion for their work at Baptistcare Kalkarni Residential Aged Care has inspired their young adult children to follow in their footsteps.
The passion employees Jenny Longo and Debbie Watts have for their roles at Baptistcare Kalkarni Residential Aged Care in Brookton has inspired their young adult children to follow in their footsteps.
Lifestyle Coordinator, Jenny’s son Brandon (18) is working as part of the kitchen team, while Housekeeping Partner Debbie’s daughters Tammie Watts (21) and Belinda Graham (39) are working in Administration and Housekeeping respectively.
It gives special meaning to the sense of family Baptistcare strives to create for the 45 Wheatbelt seniors who call Kalkarni home.
For Jenny Longo who stepped into the role of Lifestyle Coordinator at Baptistcare Kalkarni one year ago after two years as a Care Partner, it’s much more than a job – it’s a unique opportunity to help others and give back to the community.
“We have lived in nearby Beverley for almost a decade, so I love chatting to the residents and hearing their stories about life in the Wheatbelt,” she said.
“Sometimes family members live far away and cannot visit regularly visit residents, so it has been extremely rewarding to see the joy and companionship they get from Brandon.
“It gives them the chance to communicate in a similar way as they would with their grandchildren,” said Jenny.
While losing his job at a Brookton restaurant in early 2020 due to COVID-19 initially came as a blow, it delivered Brandon the opportunity to join his mother at Baptistcare Kalkarni.
“To have Mum by my side as I stepped into a new role was so helpful, since she has been at Kalkarni for many years, she was able help me to get my bearings,” said Brandon.
“Being so young and working in aged care has really given me a different perspective on life.
“The lessons I have learned from the residents during our tea chats have been so valuable.”
The desire to care for older members of the community also resonates for Debbie Watts who joined Baptistcare Kalkarni in 2003.
Having lived in Brookton for 40 years, she has always believed in respecting and supporting the town’s senior citizens and instilled these values in her daughters who have both joined Kalkarni in the past few years.
“We were raised to be empathetic and caring and this sense of nurturing runs deep in our family,” said Tammie.
“After hearing how intrinsically rewarding it is for Mum to work in aged care, it didn’t take long for Belinda and I to want to join her at Kalkarni.”
Tammie and Belinda said they cherish the time they get to spend with their mother, and hope to make her proud through their work at Baptistcare Kalkarni.
“Even though our other two sisters don’t live in Brookton, they have also been inspired by the work Mum does, with one studying support work and the other being a certified aged care partner,” said Tammie.
While the Longos and the Watts may not share the same surname as any of the residents, it doesn’t stop them from treating them all as family.
Follow this link for more information about Residential Care or contact us on 1300 275 227.