Levin Home for War Veterans health care assistant Peggy Wenzlick is so dedicated she comes in on her days off to work on special projects and activities with residents.
“Peggy comes in every Tuesday in her own time, with her sewing machine, to work with our residents who have done a lot of dressmaking to help them maintain their skills and also give them the opportunity to reminisce about frocks gone by,” says Levin Home manager Michelle Day.
Peggy’s expertise and sewing skills include altering clothes for residents, creating spectacular decorations for every occasion such as Christmas and Easter, and she even re-upholsters bedroom chairs for residents’ rooms.
Although not officially part of the recreation team, Peggy enables residents to do things they would not normally attempt, says recreation officer Debra O’Neil.
“Because she is a health care assistant the residents relate to her differently. She comes at activities like handcrafts from another perspective – with an understanding of residents’ physical and emotional needs,” she says. “The residents love her; she makes their lives happier. One even suggested Peggy should be cloned!”
An inspiration for others to follow, Michelle says Peggy always goes the extra mile.
“Peggy’s caring attitude towards her colleagues as well as the residents in her care and her willingness to share her knowledge, makes her a truly unique member of our team.”
Peggy’s dedication was recognised at Presbyterian Support Central’s recent Quality and Innovation Awards where she won an award for going beyond the call of duty, which she says she was “very chuffed about”.
