General News
5 May, 2023
Beating setbacks for a change of lifestyle
Sometimes all we need in life is a little push to move us out of our comfort zone and start us off on an exciting new journey. For Sandra Smith, that push came in the form of an unexplained fall at home. Ms Smith has always known what it’s like to...
Sometimes all we need in life is a little push to move us out of our comfort zone and start us off on an exciting new journey.
For Sandra Smith, that push came in the form of an unexplained fall at home.
Ms Smith has always known what it’s like to face adversity, having been born deaf and having dealt her entire life with the challenges that brings.
When she was in her early 20s she couldn’t get a job anywhere.
“Nobody wanted to employ a deaf girl,” she said. “The discrimination was bad in those days.”
In the end she took her plight to her local Member of Parliament, the late Bill McGrath.
“When I told Bill he said, ‘That’s ridiculous, Sandy. There’s nothing wrong with you’. And then he asked me where I’d like to work,” she said.
“I told him the hospital, and within a month I had a job there as a cleaner.”
For the next 35 years Ms Smith continued in that role and enjoyed every minute of her work.
But a year ago, she fell at home one day and was concerned she’d had a stroke.
It turned out she had vertigo and her boss, environmental services manager Curtis Morson, approached the Human Resources team to see how they could help.
Mr Morson told HR that Ms Smith was a good worker but her current job was no longer safe for her to do.
They identified potential redeployment options and, of those, Ms Smith was most interested in leisure and lifestyle.
Team leader Daniella Bell thought Ms Smith might be a good fit to work with aged care residents because she already had a strong rapport with them from cleaning in those areas.
Ms Smith quickly settled in to her new role as a leisure and lifestyle facilitator and had an immediate impact with both residents and her fellow team members.
But she also needed qualifications to keep her position, so her next big step was to complete a course under Aged Care Training Australia.
Ms Smith had no real computer experience, but Grampians Health Horsham’s IT team configured a computer with accessibility software.
"IT were very good to me and helped me out with anything that I didn’t understand,” she said.
Then came the news Ms Smith had hoped for: she had passed and was now qualified to work in her new role.
It was an exciting moment for her and everyone who had helped her to get there.
“When I first came to see Daniella, I was crying because I was apprehensive about whether I could do the job well, and everyone has just been so supportive,” she said.
“I love doing the activities and I particularly love cooking and bingo.
"I’ve been able to teach a bit of sign language to a lot of the nurses and staff as well."
Ms Bell said Ms Smith had been amazing in her new role.
“She’s overcome every boundary and there is nothing on the program that she can't deliver,” Ms Bell said.
Ms Smith said she felt very lucky to have had such helpful work colleagues.
“My mum and dad both died very young but they would be so proud if they could see what I'm doing now," she said.
“I live alone so this is my family here, and I'm just so appreciative of how all the different departments at Grampians Health have helped me.”