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2021 INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF HEALTH AND CARE WORKERS
with Pema Yangdon, carer at Karingal Green Health and Aged Care Community, WA.
Pema Yangdon is a long way from home - the remote Kingdom of Bhutan - but she has found a new work family at Hall & Prior’s flagship aged care home, Karingal Green.
L&L: What made you become a care worker? PY: After graduating from high school, my passion and long-held desire was to work as a caregiver. Working in the healthcare industry allows me to make a difference, which is a small contribution from me to society which makes me proud and pleased at the end of the day. A small interaction can have a significant impact on someone’s life, which gives me pleasure and motivates me to work more with many individuals. L&L: What does the World Health Organization's International Year of Health and Care Workers mean to you? PY: The year 2021 has been designated as the International Year of Health and Care Workers in appreciation of their unwavering dedication in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic during the last two years and in the years ahead. This event is vital and unique for me, as well as for all caregivers around the globe, because I feel proud and recognised for what
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we are doing. It also makes me feel that I have chosen the right path which again renews my commitment as a caregiver and resolve to work even harder on the frontline to address the needs of adults and differently-abled people. L&L: How long have you worked in aged care and when did you join Hall & Prior? PY: I come from the tiny Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan and this is my first job in Australia. I’ve been with Hall & Prior for nearly six months and prior to that, I used to work as a volunteer for a differently-abled centre in my hometown. L&L: What does an average day look like for you? PY: My days are never the same; they primarily depend on the situation, the clients and my co-workers. Some days are good and some are harder work but I commit until the end of the day which means when I have a day off, I have a big smile on my face.
