Staff profile – Rosalie Morrissey

7 March 2019

7 Mar 2019

VMCH Lifestyle Coordinator Rosalie Morrissey has brought much joy and laughter to John R Hannah aged care residence over the past 11 years; organising activities to keep residents happy, healthy and active. But it’s what they bring to her life that keeps Rosalie coming back to work each day with a smile on her face…

What do you love most about your job?

“I love this job. It’s a passion of mine. I love that you can make a real difference. I get inspired when coming in and seeing that the residents really look forward to seeing me and chatting with me. We have a real connection, so that’s great. We try to bring joy to residents and especially try reach those quieter ones – find something that sparks an interest in them. It can be challenging and hard work, but I love it.”

What’s your favourite part of the week?

“Monday mornings are the best as it’s after the weekend and we all chat about what we’ve got up to and what we have to look forward to for the week. It’s lovely to have everyone laughing. Even if you’re feeling a bit down in the dumps, when you walk in the door, they (residents), boost your mood by being so warm and caring.”

You were recently named as a VMCH International Women’s Day Ambassador, along with three residents. What does IWD mean to you?

“We always celebrate IWD the day here, it’s important. It was a honour to be named among the three other women, Mary, Celine and Bridget. Of course, there are still differences between men and women (like unequal pay), but it’s also important to celebrate the opportunities we have today. I like to listen to strong women and they resonate with me. When I was 19 I worked at a kinder and it was during women’s liberation time and I remember being very vocal about all of that! Any advances we can make are fantastic – we’ve (women) fought for a lot and come a long way.”

What kinds of women do you come across at John R Hannah? Women who’ve been through a lot in their lives; strong women, women from different cultures, women of different religions and beliefs.

What do you love about working in aged care generally?

That you can find what gives purpose and meaning to people’s lives and give them the opportunity to continue doing things of interest to them.

What is your hope for the people you support now and into the future?

That we have adequate resources to meet not only their physical, but their emotional, spiritual and intellectual needs.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I like going to the movies, gardening, exercise and also like being able to find appropriate resources that we can use for our Resident Lifestyle Program.

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We here at VMCH respectfully acknowledge the traditional owners of the lands on which we gather, and we would like to take a moment to honour the fact that we live on the lands of the oldest civilisation in the world. We acknowledge the stories, traditions and wisdom of Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander peoples, and pay our respects to their elders past, present and emerging.