Aurelia has been a familiar and much-loved face at SummitCare St Marys for many years. As of September, she officially reached the incredible milestone of 24 years working as an Assistant in Nursing (AIN). And with her 80th birthday just around the corner in October, she has shown no signs of slowing down.
Aurelia’s journey to aged care started well before her time at SummitCare. Born and raised in the Philippines, she spent 20 years as a school teacher, educating Year 2 students before migrating to Australia with her husband in 1987. Once settled, she entered the aged care workforce in 1988, bringing with her not only compassion, but decades of dedication to helping others.
Before joining SummitCare, Aurelia worked in other aged care homes including one in Westmead. What brought her to St Marys was a personal connection. “I knew the first matron nurse that worked here… she asked me if I wanted to work here as it was closer to where I live… she welcomed me with open arms. So I accepted her offer.”
Over the years, Aurelia became a pillar of the night shift team which was a decision that suited her family life perfectly. “I always do night shifts. I like to do night shifts because I have kids,” she shared. “That’s why.” With two sons, one daughter, and eight grandchildren, the flexibility allows her to spend her days with loved ones while continuing the work she loves.
Her responsibilities as an Assistant in Nursing includes checking in on residents, assisting with meals, and ensuring their comfort overnight. While the tasks could be demanding, Aurelia approaches each shift with warmth and care.
Outside of work, she kept things simple. “I don’t have many hobbies.,” she laughed. “But I do like to go shopping and to the movies.”
When asked what makes SummitCare special, Aurelia didn’t hesitate. “The equal treatment from the bosses,” she said. “They listen to both sides to figure out solutions. There’s no division in the team.”
Her values are just as strong as her work ethic. If she could offer one piece of advice to younger generations, it would be this, “Be respectful and nice to everyone because we were all born equally and we should all be treated equally. We are all human beings at the end of the day.”
With a quarter-century of service behind her, Aurelia remains humble. “I’m very thankful to SummitCare for letting me work. At 80 years old, I can still do the job because we have a great team here and we all help each other.”
Aurelia is known not just for her reliability, but for the kindness she shows every resident. Her gentle nature and calming presence makes her someone both staff and residents trust deeply. She doesn’t see her role as just a job - it’s a calling.
