When Sue Wood was a kid she used to ride her bicycle to visit her great-grandmother and later her grandmother at Uniting AgeWell Strathdon Community.
She loved the site and had a rapport with older people. So when Sue started her career as a student nurse there nearly 30 years ago, she thought the wheel had come full circle.
She had no idea that one day she’d not only manage Strathdon Community but that she would be appointed to her current role where she oversees the workforce planning and funding teams for all residential age care facilities across Victoria.
Yet despite her meteoric rise through the ranks of Uniting AgeWell, Sue’s focus remains firmly on making a difference. Not only to the quality of life of our residents but also to staff and to the wider organisation itself.
“I like to think I’ve helped people along the way,” says Sue in what must qualify as the understatement of the year.
Leading by example
Many of our staff come into the aged care industry from varied backgrounds. Not Sue. She’s been in aged care since the get-go, with only four of her years outside Uniting AgeWell at other aged care organisations.
And she’s proved that you can change jobs and rise through the ranks within one organisation. “I’ve always felt valued and supported by Uniting AgeWell,” Sue says. “They’ve grown me!”
Indeed.
Her varied roles include starting off as a nurse, and progressing to a unit manager, care manager, director of nursing, facility manager at a number of sites, Manager Integrated Services to her current title of Business Manager for Residential Victoria. And she’s worked at a number of sites including Box Hill, Brighton (now closed) and Noble Park.
Walking the talk
Because Sue has hands-on experience of so many aspects of aged care, it’s safe to say she’s seen and done if not it all, then most of it. She’s enjoying mentoring staff and she’s well placed to look for opportunities for constant improvement within the industry.
“Uniting AgeWell believed in me and gave me opportunities to reach my potential. It gives me great joy to help others to the same,” she says.
She remains driven by her heart.
“I love my job, and I’ve learned so much about older people. I remember one defining moment was when we took an older group away on holiday. They didn’t want to go to bed at 7pm, like I had imagined. They wanted to stay up till midnight, go to the pub, play cards… Fun shouldn’t end as you grow older, you’re still the same person you always were.”
Helping change the culture
Sue is gay. She started work at Uniting AgeWell at the age of 22, came out at 25 and in her 30’s decided she would help champion the LGBTQIA cause in the organisation.
“I had a conventional upbringing, attending a Uniting Church and going to a Uniting Church school and didn’t know any gay people,” Sue explains. “So when I started being active in supporting inclusiveness for the LGBTQIA community, including running a Uniting AgeWell stall at the Midsumma Festival, I was blown away by the support and encouragement I got from across the organisation.”
Not only from management, Sue says, but from all staff who supported progressive change.
“It’s great that the organisation not only accepts but champions us all for who we are,” she says.
Home truths
Sue and her partner are getting married at the end of this year and could not be happier. They live in Eltham and are busy renovating their home. They have two schnauzers “who rule the house” and Sue’s passions include playing golf and watching Netflix.
Oh, and of course, her job!
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