#thanks for caring – Aged Care Employee Day

Congratulations Cheryl Hodder on 34 Years of Service!

Cheryl Hodder achieved something of a Maroba record when she recently clocked up 34 years of continuous service.  Encouraged to seek employment at Maroba as a domestic by her friend Anne Hodges an employee of Maroba, Cheryl was successfully orientated in 1987.  Although we all know Cheryl now as an integral part of the laundry team, it was as a cleaner that she first began her employment, before moving to a shared position where she worked both as a cleaner and in the laundry. During her first decade of work, she commenced training as a nurse but had the courage and wisdom to decide that it wasn’t the career path she wanted to pursue.  Cheryl loved her work as a laundress and felt that was where she could make the biggest difference to Maroba and its residents.

During the last 34 years Cheryl has been privileged to see the construction of The Lodge, self care units and most recently the Manor.  This visionary building program has ensured that Maroba remains a contemporary, attractive and much sort after placement for residents and workplace for staff.  Cheryl reminisced about initially working in a small laundry under the original Nursing Home – it was there that she experienced flooding up to her knees! She recalls too the strenuous efforts that the laundry team made moving full laundry trolleys between the old nursing home and the Manor before the new facility was fully commissioned. However today the laundry is a state-of-the-art facility located on the lower ground floor of the Manor where Cheryl and her colleagues regularly host people from other facilities, commercial laundries and other professional groups who are interested in the effectiveness of the equipment they use and the processes that are in place to create a sustainable, hygienic, efficient and safe workplace.

When asked what has kept her getting up each day for her shift, Cheryl’s response was unequivocal – ‘I just love to work and I’m happy’!  She added too that her work keeps her fit and I’m sure she would break another record if she were to count the steps she does each day. Another thing that Cheryl suggested facilitated her record tenure at Maroba was, she felt, the good leadership she had experienced during her 34 years.  Leadership she said that allowed her to vent and where she felt listened to.

Undoubtedly 34 years employed in the one organisation stands as a testimony to the faithfulness, loyalty and resilience of the person and positions them well to suggest what qualities are desirable in the workplace today.  Cheryl suggested three things that she has found essential for success at work – a good work ethic, pride in oneself and one’s work and of course an empathetic nature.

Maroba is fortunate to have staff the calibre of Cheryl Hodder on their team. She is truly a genuine exemplar for staff following in her footsteps.  Of course, I did have to ask her if she had any plans for retirement and I was not surprised by her answer – ‘absolutely not’!

By Helen MacDonald
25 July 2021