Hard-wired for aged care

Computer whiz Saroj (Sandy) Sapkota found himself facing an unusual problem. With both Computer Engineering and IT degrees under his belt, he discovered he was hardwired for aged care.

He’d been working in aged care to earn money while studying at the Institute of Technology in Melbourne, and found himself finding more meaning in interacting with older people than with computers.

So, he studied a Cert III in Aged Care and is now an Extended Care Assistant at Uniting AgeWell Mornington Community Lillian Martin and has never been happier.

What’s more, Sandy, who left his homeland of Nepal and moved to Melbourne at the age of 18, says working in aged care also creates a sense of family. All his family – his parents and three sisters – are still in Chitwan in Nepal.

During Harmony Week we’re celebrating the cultural diversity of our staff with a clear message that we welcome all, and that everyone belongs.

The 25-year-old first started working at Uniting AgeWell Camberwell Community Condare Court in Victoria before moving to Mornington Community, Lillian Martin in beautiful Tasmania. “There’s a huge Nepalese community here, so I feel very connected,” explains Sandy. “There’s also less traffic than Melbourne and the scenery is just so beautiful.”

He spends his working days doing personal care for the residents, as well as going with them on walks and assisting with leisure activities.

Ironically, he’s totally in demand for his computer skills too! He steps in to help both residents and staff with computer and mobile phone problems, and has even fixed a couple of televisions. So he still gets to use the stock-standard question “have you switched it on at the wall?” quite a lot.

Sandy’s spare time is spent going on long drives exploring the beach and the country. “I’m planning on doing a nursing degree,” he says. “But while my career make take a slightly different path, I intend on continuing on at Uniting AgeWell and working in aged care facilities.”