Care Community stories

Nurturing mateship at Glenmore Park

20th February 2024 | 4 min read

Nothing beats spending quality time in the garden with a good mate. At Glenmore Park Care Community in Western Sydney, a new friendship built on a shared passion for gardening has helped resident Les to bloom.

Social connection is so important for wellbeing, but sometimes relationships can fall away as we age. Meaningful Mates is designed to nurture socialisation in our Care Communities, where team members build personal, genuine relationships with residents. Each Meaningful Mate builds a strong personal connection of shared experiences with an individual resident, developing a deep understanding of the things that brings them joy, and the ways in which each resident prefers to participate in life.

“Moving into aged care was a hard decision for Les,” explains Tricia, General Manager at Glenmore Park Care Community. “But when we took him on a tour of our Care Community, he told us he loved the gardens. That was really important to Les, who’s always been a proud gardener.”

After moving in, Les spotted Glenmore Park Care Community’s gardener, Sid, at work and immediately volunteered to help. Starting with the all-important task of weeding, Les and Sid bonded over their shared passion.

“We get on so well, and we help each other out,” says Sid. Les agrees, and humbly adds: “I think if you look at the garden, we’re making it quite nice.”

Now, Sid and Les look forward to their morning routine; starting the day by planning their work before they head out into the garden.

Spending time in nature has always been central to Les’ life, and his friendship with Sid helps him stay fit and active, and live with purpose, doing work he loves. And everyone who enjoys the beautiful gardens at Glenmore Park Care Community benefits too!

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Nurturing mateship at Glenmore Park

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