Career change leads to state award

Redcliffe resident Dean Redman has turned redundancy into a Queensland award-winning career in caring.

Originally from South Africa, Dean had a 31-year career in technology until his job was made redundant seven years ago.

That and the chance to care for his father gave Dean an opening which has led to him being named Queensland Caregiver of the Year.

“I was at home, semi-retired, but also at a crossroads - deciding what to do. I asked myself, do I get back into IT, or look at another avenue to go down?” Dean said.

“My dad had been through several knee surgeries and each time he came home to recover.

“A friend of ours suggested that I needed something to do with my time and that I take up caregiving as a profession.”

Dean completed a Certificate III: Individual Support and within days joined Dovida’s senior care team (then Home Instead). He now works for Dovida’s Brisbane North and Caboolture branch.

The decision makes Dean a rarity in Australia, where only 10.6 per cent of aged care workers involved in providing direct care are men.

Nearly seven years and more than 5200 hours of care later, Dean was named the Queensland Caregiver of the Year, the most prestigious on offer at the 2025 Heart of Dovida Awards.

“Dean has built trust with our clients through dependability and by building genuine relationships that extend far beyond his formal duties,” Dovida CEO Geoff Hoggs said.

“His approach to care is deeply personal and heartfelt and families consistently describe how Dean’s companionship and humour help restore dignity and self-worth to clients struggling with their health.

“This award recognises Dean for proving every day that caring for others isn't just a job; it's a calling.”

Dovida’s Brisbane North & Caboolture branch also took out the award for Office of the Year - a remarkable double victory for the team.