We are all thrilled to have the Latvian Community as part of the Uniting AgeWell family. 

The aged care facility and retirement village was founded 40 years ago by the Latvian Friendly Society through the support and generosity of the wider Latvian community. 

To mark this important milestone, a special morning tea was held on Wednesday, 2 July at the Wantirna South site affording a wonderful opportunity to learn more about the rich Latvian culture.   

Gift bags were given to residents and the overwhelming majority of staff who chose to join Uniting AgeWell, as a token of Uniting AgeWell’s appreciation for their trust and support, and the splendid high tea took on a festive tone with resident Eva Brenners ceremoniously cutting the ‘welcome’ cake. 

Eva is one of the many residents at the site who was among the 20,000 Latvians who relocated to Australia in the late 1940s and early 1950s after being forced to flee their homeland during the Soviet occupation of Latvia during World War II.  

Eva, 95, is a lawyer who speaks four languages and was instrumental in the creation of the Latvian Community site.  She helped the Latvian Society Board of Directors buy the land, organise the building permits and complete other legal paperwork. They built the village through fundraising, bequests and hard work – each structural addition, like the library, chapel and hall, a bricks and mortar testament to their determination. 

Dr Janis Lazdins, the Board Chair of the Latvian Friendly Society, said the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic coupled with recommendations from the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety to be actioned, created hurdles they found difficult to overcome. 

Dr Lazdins said the board’s objective was to preserve the integrity of the complex, maintain the Latvian connection and heritage and ensure a continuity of care – and they were confident Uniting AgeWell would be able to achieve all this. 

Uniting AgeWell Board Chair Raelene Thompson said trust was at the heart of the transition in continuing the legacy of care established by the Latvian Friendly Society Board and its members.  

“The trust the Latvian Community has placed in us as an organisation is huge.  We take this trust very seriously.  We are honoured that you have started this new journey with us.” 

Uniting AgeWell CEO Andrew Kinnersly, spoke of our values of kindness, respect, integrity, innovation and inclusion playing a key part in finding alignment between the two organisations. “These values are what makes us tick as an organisation,” Andrew said, presenting a framed poster bearing the values to Latvian Community Residential Services Manager, June Hodge. 

Andrew said the vision and values of the two Boards mirrored each other, as well as Uniting AgeWell’s commitment to supporting the community to flourish and grow into the future. 

The celebration finished on a high note through music and songs in Latvian and English led by ‘Friends of the Village and its people’ – Robert Brenners, Peteris Saulitis, Varis Abele, Helga Jansons and staff members Ingrida Biezaite and Lauma Priekulis.