Have you met Chris?

Chris is one of our Care Support workers, who traded his office job as an architect to help clients out in the community!

Read on to learn more about Chris.

What does your role involve?

I'm mainly working out in the community doing a whole range of different jobs. Personal care as well as taking people shopping and taking people to appointments. I also do domestic assistance, so cleaning at home. I really enjoy the variety of work, it stops me from getting bored!

How long have you worked at RangeCare?

I've been doing it for just over 18 months now.

Was this your first job in aged care?

I'm actually a retired architect. I worked from home for many years and just got to the point where I felt I'd had enough of all the complexity of that. I was looking for a job where I really just needed to turn up, be nice to people, be on time, and at the end of the day I could really just relax and go home. That really works for me now, and I feel like I can turn up to work fresh every day which is really good.

When and how did you first learn about RangeCare?

Well my wife was actually a nurse with RangeCare for a few years, and when I said that I was looking at changing careers she said "Well they need mature men to work in aged care". She thought I had a good personality for it, so it seems to have worked out very well.

How would you describe RangeCare?

I think it's a very supportive organisation and I think all the clients can feel that. I felt very supported when I started.

The clients were very kind to me to start with, and I think with the right attitude and building relationships with people it can be very, very rewarding.

What’s the most inspiring part of your role?

Hmm that's a tricky one, I guess it's many little ordinary things really, I think. Some clients are really struggling with the changes that they're going through, and yet I'm inspired by how much strength they show in working with those and how nice people can be even when they are struggling.

I think my clients inspire me. It's a learning experience because one day I'm going to be an oldie! In that regard too, I'm over 60 now. It is inspiring to see how people deal with getting older, and I hope I can be as nice to any carers I have as they are to me.

What is a challenge in your role?

The most challenging thing is just the administration side of it, I'm very happy I work out in the field instead of in an office doing paper work. That's what I used to do for many years.

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What’s a fun fact most people don’t know about you?

Most of my clients already know, but I'm a pretty keen gardener, so I'm happy to share anything about my banana trees!

That might not seem like a lot of fun to some, but that's my fun fact!

What are your hobbies?

As an architect, I was doing designing before, so I still enjoy designing and making small things. Out the back [of my house] I have a little hut full of timber that's waiting for my full retirement and hopefully one day I'll get into making lots of little things, even if it's toys for kids. But you know, pieces of furniture and that sort of stuff. I am looking forward to doing a little more of that sort of work when I'm retired, but I must say, when retirement does come there's a long list of things to get on with.

Would you recommend working at RangeCare and why?

I think if you've got the right personality, and you do a little bit of homework, then RangeCare is a very rewarding place to be of service.

RangeCare, the fact that it's a not-for-profit organisation was a big plus for me in choosing where I wanted to work. I think that whole approach and attitude influences the way that we do things.