Village support officer Harry loves interacting with residents
Meet Harry Schindler, the village support officer at Menzies Malvern in Victoria. For someone with a unique blend of experience, compassion and genuine care for residents, you would hardly believe he is only 22.
Having worked for the village since 2022, Harry has been an integral part of the retirement village community. Call him man Friday if you will; his duties go beyond just supporting the staff and residents. He is also the go-to tech guy residents reach out to. With a background in assisting the elderly and a personal connection through his grandfather's aged care journey, Harry found his calling in this role.
In this interview, he shares his experiences, the joys and challenges of his role and the qualities that make him excel in this rewarding career.
What motivated you to apply for this role?
I suppose what motivated me was my interest in seeing all the different people and hearing their stories and backgrounds. There's a really good community feeling here, which I enjoy.
How would you describe a typical day at work?
Usually, when I arrive, the managers give me a rundown of what's been happening. We do a handover and then I help Wayne, the chef in the kitchen. I do room service, delivering meals and we have dining at 6:30 pm. I have some kitchen experience, so Wayne and I work well together. We handle busy nights with up to 70 or 80 residents for dinner but on our standard nights we have 25 residents. It's a good kitchen atmosphere and the residents seem to enjoy coming down for dinner. After the dining wraps up, I do security checks and welfare checks on residents who might not be feeling well. I'm on call overnight until 8 in the morning from Monday to Thursday and Sunday.
How do the overnight shifts work for you?
Overnight, I stay in a well-kept sleepover room. Wayne cooks me a meal nightly, which is always very good. Most nights are relatively quiet, but if there's any problems, I just have to adapt.
The well-kept sleepover room for the village support officer at the village
Have you had any nights where you had to make important decisions regarding the residents? How did you handle it?
Yes, there have been some nights where I haven't slept. It's part of the job. When incidents occur, it can be overwhelming, but it's about working through it, getting on call with the ambulance and figuring out how best to help the residents. It has mostly been a positive experience. It can be daunting when someone has a problem, but as long as they're alright it doesn’t matter. It's about addressing the situation effectively, whether it's calling an ambulance or using the lifting machine to help someone who has fallen.
What characteristics are important to excel in a role like this?
Good people skills are essential. Talking with the residents, being patient, listening to them and making it fun are important. Always being happy and doing your best helps a lot too.
Harry doing one of his daily jobs in delivering mail.
How do you assist residents in their transition to retirement living?
For new residents, it's about involving them, introducing them to others and showing them the amenities. Making them feel welcome is key. Once they get involved in activities, they usually integrate well into the community. A lot of residents come to me with technological problems, like printers or phones. I think the word got around that I can help with these issues, so I get residents coming to me all the time to help them and I'm always happy to do that.
What is the best part of your job?
Interacting with the residents and hearing their stories. There's one resident in particular who always makes me laugh with her witty comments and positive attitude.
“I love interacting with the residents and hearing their stories”
What would attract someone as young as you to this job?
It's a great learning experience. The residents have so much life experience and can offer valuable advice. It's rewarding to learn from them.
Harry loves the good community feeling among the staff and residents.
Where do you see yourself going from here in your career?
Possibly moving into a wellbeing role, like James, the health and wellbeing coordinator, who organises activities and wellness programs for the residents at the village. I find that quite interesting and would like to pursue it in the future.
How supportive are the staff here?
The staff are really supportive. Paul, our village manager, and others are always open to talking if I need help. There's a good community among the staff and residents. Working for Keyton has been a great experience. They provide good training and support and there's a positive atmosphere. I'm looking forward to what's next for me here.
Find out more about your career opportunities at Keyton.
For more information about the lifestyle and support offered at our retirement villages, call our customer service team on 1800 550 550 or send us an email here.
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