Business View Oceania | March 2020

55 56 BUSINESS VIEW OCEANIA MARCH 2020 BUSINESS VIEW OCEANIA MARCH 2020 WONGABURRA SOC I ETY to end. Open conversation, consultation and full transparency from the Wongaburra team gives them that extra bit of love and reassurance. A 16-bed specially designed dementia specific wing offers meaningful program activities for those residents. And the staff also runs an ongoing cent auction, where people donate items for sale and whatever money is accumulated over 12 months is used to take the people who are able to go on a beach holiday. Almost every year, 25 to 30 residents have a wonderful two-day vacation at the beach. “We also have the high school and childcare centres coming to us with babies and little children,” says Brown. “Having that interaction with the older generation… it’s amazing to see the smiles. Also some of our staff have pets; we have an alpaca, Betty, that comes to work and the people love her. And we have two cats on the premises.” Local contractors are kept busy at the facility and one in particular – Brian who works for Tom Moore Plumbing – not only “A lot of people have a vested interest in Wongaburra,” says Singh, “maybe because a family member helped build the facility and then became a resident, or a relative worked here or volunteered here. So we have a very close- knit community organisation. Everybody knows everybody and they support us when times get tough. For instance, when we get heavy rains and storms, the staff can’t get to work because they might not live local and the roads aren’t accessible. So townspeople will come in to help feed the residents. We’re very different to other providers in the city where they have to rely on the staff, because we also have the community donating their time.” Because of that good relationship with the community and other relevant stakeholders, Wongaburra is always between 96 and 100 percent occupancy and has a healthy waiting list. It’s all about trust; family members know that their loved one will have the very best care and they will be part of the journey from beginning