Love, care and compassion are basic aspects present in both animals and human. These are the feelings that keep us together as family, friends, society, nation and ultimately the world as it is. While everyone cares for their family and friends, there are a few who truly consider the world as their own and extend their compassion for everyone they come across. Such people find true joy in devoting their lives to the cause of others. Nurses, across the world, personify the best of these aspects. Nursing isn’t just a profession, but a responsibility that only the toughest and yet the gentlest of humans can bear.
At age 15, Viv Allanson enlisted as a Volunteer Pink Lady. This first small step into a healthcare role gave her a degree of confidence in a hospital environment that she would not have otherwise had. This experience confirmed what Viv has known since childhood that she wanted to be a nurse and started to learn all that she could, as she knew it would be her life’s work.
Viv’s nursing career started in 1975 as a student nurse at Royal Newcastle Hospital. She received many opportunities to grow, manage and lead in the various specialities she ventured into, including Midwifery, Renal and Dialysis, Nurse Education and Nursing Administration. In Viv’s early years, she was elected by her peers and appointed by the then Minister for Health onto the first Newcastle Area Health board. Viv then experienced what it was like to carry the responsibility of a Director and thus began her journey with leadership roles.
Moments that Define Life
Viv undertook further tertiary studies and completed the Diploma of Nursing Administration and then completed a Masters of Health Services Management as she transitioned into the Aged Care sector. She was advised against the move by her friends as they opined that nothing happens in Aged Care and that Viv was committing Career suicide. To this Viv challenged them with ‘Don’t you want the best for your Nan!’, because I was fully persuaded that I could make a difference to the standard of care and service that was acceptable back in those days.”
Viv, who believes in doing what she says she will, went ahead with her choice and hasn’t looked back as she had many opportunities open up to her. Continuing her leadership roles representing the sector at regional, state, national and International level, Viv now serves as the CEO of Maroba Caring Communities.
Maroba Caring Communities
Growing old is not a matter of choice, but growing old with dignity certainly is. No matter how young or old we are, we all want to be treated with dignity and loved unconditionally. However, with the world coming closer and our loved ones spreading across it, loneliness has become a persistent ally to old-age. While this might be a 21st century issue, the founders of Maroba Caring Communities sensed the need way back in1954. It was started by the men and women of faith to provide care to elderly women in the local church. The founding statement ‘Love your Neighbour as Yourself’ remains as relevant today as it did all those years ago.
Located in New South Wales, the Maroba Aged Care facility provides a safe, relaxed and welcoming environment for elderly residents, clients, community, staff, volunteers and students. Its team of dedicated professionals are focused around creating beautiful communities and strive to help residents stay healthy and happy.
Maroba’s vision is to deliver experiences like no other. While the traditional services such as residential aged care and retirement accommodation remain its focus, Maroba has introduced a new range of wellness and support services that are structured to support the older person. Known as Community Services, these programs are also open to the wider Community. The programs offer a healthy approach to ageing by aiming to improve the participant’s quality of life, and by supporting them to be more independent.
Maroba is well-established and has been serving the families of the region since 1954 and in some cases they cared for many generations of those families. Maroba does all it can to make the stay comfortable for the residents and clients. Viv adds, “When you truly love the people, you are naturally inspired to create a better living and working environment for all. That’s what we do here…we keep asking, How can we make lives more meaningful, How can we enhance the living environment, How can we better engage our teams…Everyone is family to me.”
Extending Empathy
The Maroba team is also involved with the community and various charitable organisations. The team engages in corporate sponsorships and seeks involvement in networks and committees. Its goal is to collaborate with community and organisational partners to deliver meaningful health and well-being programs to benefit everyone involved. It is committed to building relationships with like-minded organisations and individuals who share their values and are focused on bringing positive change to the lives of all people.
As the CEO, Viv, along with her team, is focusing on further expansion and upgrades of the built environment. She is also looking at growing and evolving service offerings, further development and embedding of a multi-generational service through local partnerships. Viv is also looking to further strengthen Maroba’s teaching facility model which has grown successfully on the goodwill economy for 25 years.
Viv Allanson | CEO |
Maroba Caring Communities
