11/06/2026
PEOPLE OF HELPING HAND
Meet Rebecca, a single mum to four children who is passionate about making a difference. Three of her children are in their early adulthood and her youngest daughter, 11, lives with a disability. Her role as a Lifestyle Assistant, at Helping Hand Parafield Gardens, gives her the flexibility to do what she loves while being there for her family.
Rebecca is also passionate about palliative care and is currently studying a Diploma of Nursing, where she is one of the highest achieving students in her class.
“I’ve always been interested in learning and improving my knowledge and find the more I learn, the more I can do in my role and better understand residents’ needs,” she said.
“While I’d love to move into palliative nursing one day, I really enjoy my current role and being able to make those I care for feel safe and comfortable.”
Rebecca’s commitment to caring for others stems from the support she gave her grandfather in his later years.
“He spent a lot of time in hospital and had frequent falls. When my youngest was four we would visit him before and after school drop off, to make sure he was cared for and had someone to support him,” she said.
“His carers were surprised I wasn’t a carer or nurse myself, and my grandad often told me how proud he would be if I pursued a career in aged care.”
After his passing, Rebecca began her studies and completed her placement at Helping Hand Golden Grove. There she later secured a role as a care worker, as well as working in Home Care supporting clients in the community.
Later, an opportunity to join the Lifestyle team at Golden Grove opened, and more recently, Rebecca moved to Parafield Gardens.
“I’ve been here since July 2025 and have loved the transition,” she said.
A key part of Rebecca’s role is supporting residents living with dementia in the Memory Support Unit.
“I was nervous at first, but I made it my mission to get to know every resident as an individual, their likes and dislikes, so I could build trust and deliver the genuine person-centred care they deserve,” she said.
One resident’s wife shared that after spending time with Rebecca, her husband started communicating much better having lifestyle support in the area more frequently. Staff also noticed a significant reduction in his falls.
“I’ve seen so many residents’ flourish. One woman who didn’t like being touched now greets me with a hug every day.”
Rebecca says the role is a privilege.
“With the support of my team, we run activities that residents genuinely enjoy and it’s incredibly rewarding to see the positive impact. For example, one resident who speaks Cambodian recently shared, through translation, how happy she is to be involved in cooking again and how it brings back fond memories.”
“I’m proud of the work I do and the difference it makes. I couldn’t do it without the support of my team and our dedicated volunteers. It’s really something special.”
