A new way of thinking
Meet Sherry-Ann Bailey, who wants to strengthen career opportunities in aged care to energise and retain staff.
She’s Director of Home Care, North West Victoria at Uniting AgeWell (UA), with responsibility for home care clients and staff in North and West Metro Melbourne, Barwon (the Geelong area) and Loddon Mallee South (the Bendigo area).
She joined the organisation in 2022 after a stellar career in senior leadership positions in aged care in both community and residential settings in Melbourne and Queensland.
And although Sherry-Ann has amassed a lifetime of experience, wisdom and training, at heart she’s still that same young girl who accompanied her step-mum to work at client homes in the United Kingdom simply because she loved being able to make a difference in the lives of older people.
She’s also a great advocate for supporting staff within UA, particularly those who want to pursue a different career path.
Sherry-Ann sees the organisation as a whole, not as a series of silos. “For example, a personal care worker in a residential setting may want a bit of a change or a break and be based in the community, caring for clients in their own homes. And of course the same applies to those working in community roles wanting experience in the residential sector. This could be achieved without the person having to resign from their regular role.”
But she says there’s scope to take it a lot further. Sideways – with a difference. “Someone working in admin, for example, may want to study and retrain on the job and start caring hands-on for residents in an aged care facility. I say, let’s see what we need to do to make this happen.”
And the logic behind all of this is simple: “Rather than lose a good worker, we want to work with them to retain them. And changing roles will also widen their skill sets.”
Sherry-Ann says she’s seen first-hand the shared values that Uniting AgeWell workers have. Values of kindness, respect, compassion and care, and a commitment to placing the client front and centre in all they do.
“They’re driven by heart – it’s no wonder we want to retain them,” she says.
And she’s been liaising behind the scenes to get the ball rolling. “What I love about Uniting AgeWell is that it is a learning organisation, a leader in aged care. I feel very supported and valued, it’s good to know I can make a difference.”
And she has.
You can also hear about Sherry-Ann’s perspective on mental health for older people - she recently contributed to a co-design workshop as part of the Talking Mental Health project.
Kenyan-born Sherry-Ann grew up in the UK. When she was 18 she started working at an aged care facility. She and her husband, Paul, moved to Australia in 1986 for a better life. She did a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Australia while working with vulnerable children, worked for a while in the aged care and disability sector at council – and then followed her heart and worked exclusively in the aged care arena.
Sherry-Ann, who is widowed, has two children and five grandchildren. She lives with her mum, daughter and granddaughter. “Four generations of strong women under one roof,” she says. “Life is pretty interesting.” And made more so since Sherry-Ann shares it with a menagerie of three dogs, three cats and two rather bossy guinea pigs.
With 78 per cent of the workforce identifying as female, Uniting AgeWell offers flexible work arrangements to enable staff to work around their family commitments.