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At Amaroo, our Buckley and McMahon Caring Centres have been providing high quality care for over 40 years.
Every single resident who enters one of our Caring Centres comes with a unique story, and in our blog series Residents of Amaroo, we introduce you to the inspiring people who make Amaroo their home.
In this blog post, we introduce you to Barbara.
Meet Barbara
Barbara is an avid collector and keeps her treasures proudly displayed in her room at McMahon Caring Centre.
“My thimbles are my joy. I just absolutely love them.”
She has been adding to her collection for 50 years now.
“I originally started collecting postcards, when I was 12, because I didn’t believe I’d go anywhere outside of my hometown in Essex.
Then I started thinking the little stamp on them was even more artistic, so I began collecting stamps instead and thimbles when I moved to Australia.”
Making the move
Barbara, her late husband Chris, and their children moved to Perth in 1982.
They stayed with Barbara’s mother and father when they arrived, who had already relocated and settled in the area.
In 1985, Barbara and her family moved to Gosnells where their house had been built and created a great life for themselves.
“My husband came here as a fireman and became an ambulance officer. When he retired, he bought a jewellery company.
I was happy. We went on cruises and did lots of nice things.”
Finding joy in her work
Barbara became State Manager for her husband’s jewelry company and enjoyed the work she was doing.
“I used to love watching them make the pieces and going out and explaining to people what the different stones meant.”
She notes that her penchant for nice things was a running joke between her and her husband.
“He used to say to me if you go into a shop, no matter what it is, you will find the most expensive thing in there.”
Weathering the storm
Her family unfortunately faced hardship due to the global financial crisis, and they were forced to try and rebuild what they had worked so hard for.
“All the nice things we had; it was like throwing it all in the washing machine.”
Barbara quickly gained employment at a driving centre and worked her way from the front desk to being an assessor and union representative.
“The ones that made me laugh were bikies who had lost their license and came back to get it reinstated. They’re the only ones that stick in my mind. The first stop sign they’d drive straight through it,” Barbara jokes.
Although she has faced hardships, Barbara retains a positive outlook on the challenges she has overcome.
“We were still very lucky compared to most and I’m grateful for what I’ve got.”
Enjoying life at McMahon
Since moving into McMahon Caring Centre, Barbara maintains much of her independence.
“I walk over to Coles and go into the lotto shop and get myself a coffee in Dome… whatever I fancy.”
She often partakes in activities, including bingo and bochi, but her biggest enjoyment continues to be shopping for beautiful things.
“I love going for a walk to the front counter to if they’ve got my parcels for me.
I love my bling and order a fair bit online.”
Barbara gets on well with staff and is appreciative of the work they do.
“The girls here will fix anything. They’re so good. They come and make my bed, vacuum, take my laundry, bring me breakfast.”
She has held a close bond with one carer in particular who she speaks fondly of.
“One I feel is more like my daughter. She’ll always remind me of things like what day my bed will be changed. She is just spectacular in her attitude to work.”
Words of advice
When asked if she could offer us one piece of advice Barbara kindly shared this message.
“Don’t be afraid to speak up. At the same time don’t be angry about something you can’t change. If something’s not right acknowledge it and try to fix it. If you can’t, think that’s fair enough and find another way around the problem.”
At Amaroo, our mission is to provide a positive and supportive environment for our residents like Barbara, where their level of care changes as their needs do.
We understand that the decision to move into a residential aged care facility can be overwhelming and that’s why our friendly team are here to help you through the process.
Call us today on 1300 653 967 or book a tour with us here.