17 September 2024
Wendy has been bringing joy to our residents through her cooking for over 30 years.
When asked what keeps her going after all these years, Wendy’s answer is simple, “A smile on a resident's face.” She knows how much food means in their lives and loves making their day by cooking their favourite meals. Wendy says, "This is their home, and we are here to make them happy.”
Known for her love of desserts, Wendy’s cake decorating skills have become legendary among our residents. Having once been asked to pursue cake decorating full-time for a magazine, she chose to stay in aged care, where she could use her talents to make every meal special.
Wendy's journey in aged care began decades ago at our Bendigo home in Long Gully. Earlier in her career, Wendy worked in restaurants and the hospitality industry, where she worked with and supported people with vision impairments. Inspiring her to seek a more meaningful path, it was aged care that captured her heart. While joining as a chef, she fondly recalls also working extra hours to help with arts and crafts, blending her love of creativity with her passion for care. One of her favourite memories is of the “Sunday Sippers” events, where they would pretend to travel to different countries. An experience so special it even made the local newspaper!
Wendy’s dedication to Estia Health and our residents hasn’t gone unnoticed. In 2022, Wendy was honoured with the title of Estia Health Chef of the Year. A proud moment in her career, reflecting her passion and love for her work.
Currently our head chef at Estia Health Victoria Heights, Wendy has seen the dining experience in aged care evolve during her long career. What once consisted of simple meals, has since transformed into meals including steak and prawns. Something Wendy would have never imagined cooking when she first started in aged care in 1994. Wendy credits this positive change to the high standards set by her mentors at Estia Health.
Looking back on her career, Wendy is proud of the impact she has made. It takes a special kind of person to work in aged care and Wendy’s message to others reflects this, “If you aren’t passionate about aged care, it’s not the industry for you. It’s more than just a job.”
"When you’re passionate about something, it sticks," she says, and her passion for making residents smile through her cooking is something that will never fade.
