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A home care provider in Perth is proving that a culture of family-like care can make all the difference.
At 73, Kerry Webb isn’t ready to slow down and thanks to a little help from a small team in O’Connor, she doesn’t have to.
Living alone for the past three decades in Beaconsfield, just south of Perth, Kerry knows the comfort of independence.
Since becoming a client of Volunteer Home Support, a not-for-profit home care service, her life has transformed.
“They’re not just coming to clean - they’re keeping an eye on your well-being,” Kerry says. “Your mental health, your physical health… it all matters. I’ve got a beautiful daughter, but I can’t make her my slave. The support I get now is just fabulous.”
One of the faces she grew close to over the years was Bec Walton, a long-time support worker who visited regularly to help around the house and offer some company along the way.
“I used to do about six clients a day,” Bec recalls. “I would help with cleaning floors, bathrooms, doing the beds and washing, but more than that, we connected. The relationships were everything. I loved it.”
The feeling was mutual. “We talked about everything,” Kerry says, laughing. “There were so many laughs. You don’t feel like a pest or a job - they make you feel like you’re the only one that matters.”
The Volunteer Home Support cleaning team has been nominated for Ageing Australia’s national You Are ACE! sector recognition program, that honours exceptional care providers across the country.
Tom Symondson, CEO of Ageing Australia, says Volunteer Home Support shows how aged care is thriving in the home setting.
“Most older Australians want to stay in their homes for as long as they can and with the right support, they can,” Symondson says.
“Volunteer Home Support shows us how home care isn’t just about services it’s about connection, and when it’s done well, it allows people to age with dignity, purpose and the comfort of familiarity.”
That deep commitment to connection starts at the top.
Jodie Kulessa, CEO of Volunteer Home Support, who has been with the organisation for nearly 29 years says its strength lies in culture.
“We’ve worked really hard on making sure everyone feels like family,” Ms Kulessa says. “We like to say that people here have a name, not a number, and that extends to our clients, our staff, and our volunteers.”
She says recent survey results, which showed a 93 per cent overall satisfaction rate, reflect the heart the team puts into every visit.
“All our staff and volunteers are on the same page,” she adds. “They’re passionate, they care, and that care radiates through everything we do.”
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