Lockdown Camaraderie from Younger Veterans
* 18 November 2020 *
During August, when our Outbreak Emergency Plans were activated, our staff were required to take on a range of additional tasks. Thanks to Ironside Recruitment, a specialist organisation that places veterans, we were able to identify three veterans and one veteran’s partner to provide extra support for residents at Ivanhoe and Frankston South. For Remembrance Day, they returned to present poppy badges to residents.
At Ivanhoe, Will and Chad assisted us, and at Frankston South, we were joined by Callum and Margaret.
During the outbreaks, residents could only leave their rooms for a brief time for a walk outdoors while their room was cleaned.
Our four Veteran Support Assistants provided social and emotional support, a listening ear and someone to chat to; and they provided practical support to help residents go for a walk or take other exercise; and they provided a whole range of help specific to residents – locating knitting patterns online, technical assistance for Zoom visits and understanding the features of their mobile phones, and during mobile happy hour, they made excellent waiters!
“The four Veteran Support Assistants showed great empathy and camaraderie to residents,” says CEO, Janna Voloshin. “Their support was invaluable to our residents and staff – we really appreciated having them with us.”
In honour of Remembrance Day, Ironside Recruitment CEO, Glen Ferrarotto purchased poppy pins to support the RSL Victoria Poppy Appeal and the Veteran Support Assistants returned to Ivanhoe and Frankston South to present them to residents and enjoy a catch-up over a cup of tea.
It was lovely to see them again and we look forward to a beneficial ongoing relationship with Ironside Recruitment.