A smooth transition into aged care for Gaya

Gaya Wijesekara Ekanayake Mudiyanselage arrived in Australia in 2019 by way of the United Kingdom, Cuba and Sri Lanka. As she has a PhD in exercise science which examined how physical activity can prevent chronic health problems in older people, Gaya wanted to work in aged care but being new to the country meant she didn’t know where to start.

Gaya came across the Amana Living Training Institute (ALTI) where she studied for a Certificate III and IV in allied health and was introduced to Amana Living by ALTI’s student services manager Lisa Dove.

In October 2019, Gaya initially joined Amana Living as a carer at St George’s Care Centre before taking on occupational therapy assistant (OTA), physical therapy assistant (PTA) and administration roles. “Amana Living welcomed me, and they’ve worked hard to keep me by offering me the opportunity to explore a variety of jobs.”

Now, she’s taken on a new role being piloted at St George’s, the Smooth Transitions Liaison Officer, to improve the experience for older people when they first move into residential aged care.

As the Smooth Transitions Liaison Officer, Gaya is the main point of contact for the older person in the first three months they live at St George’s. She takes them on the tour of the centre, explains the administration side of aged care, and spends a lot of time getting to know each new resident so this information can be shared with the St George’s team.

“My role is specifically to spend time with the residents, to learn about their background, personality, and preferences. I’m there to listen to them and to gather information so we can better tailor the care and experience to them,” Gaya said.

“The combination of my PhD, experience as an OTA and PTA plus caring and admin means I can draw on different skills to understand residents and their needs. All four jobs I’ve held previously at St George’s have helped me to perform the liaison role better.”

Gaya also supports the resident’s family. “I’m there to explain all the paperwork as well as help them to adjust to their loved one no longer living at home. I also work with the family to gather the personal stories which give us an even deeper insight into the resident.”

From a personal perspective, Gaya has loved taking on this role and says her job satisfaction is at 200 per cent.

“It’s amazing, I’m so happy! This role is so important in aged care and I’m glad Amana Living came up with the idea. I feel like I’m making a real impact on each resident’s life.”