Employee celebrates 80th birthday

Above: Resident Verna Spicer with Personal Care Worker Agnes Quakwoot.

Bolton Clarke Inverpine is no stranger to 80^th birthday celebrations – but not when it was for Agnes Quakwoot, one of the employees.

The Personal Care Worker (PCW) says her passion for caring for older people has kept her at work, despite trying retirement in her early 70s.

“I retired when I was 73 but that only lasted for about a year when I came back to work – I got bored!” Agnes said.

“I am older than some residents here who we care for, but I am close to a lot of them and we get on really well.

“As a PCW, I feel the most important thing is you have a good conversation with the residents, it really makes your day when you talk to them.

“I always think one day I’ll be in that situation, so I want to look after them in the same way I want to be looked after.”

Learned a lot

Agnes was drawn to working in the healthcare industry having started her career in hotel services at the Mater Hospital in Mackay during the 1970s.

“I always wanted to do nursing when I was young, but I was hesitant to start the course,” she said.

“I ended up getting my Certificate III in Aged Care later in life when I was working in aged care and I just loved it.

“It keeps my mind going and I’ve learnt a lot – I never used to use a computer, it used to be all pen and paper.

“My work keeps me on my toes and makes me look forward to the next day whereas when I retired, I would just stay at home.

“I really think that a career in aged care is extremely rewarding and it can build you up as a person.”