A modest Dunedin caregiver has received the highest accolade for her work.
Frances Hodgkins Retirement Village's serviced apartment co-ordinator Karen Merrilees was named Ryman Healthcare's caregiver of the year at its annual awards in Melbourne last week.
She was chosen out of more than 18,000 caregivers employed by Ryman Healthcare in New Zealand and Australia.
Back home in Dunedin, Mrs Merrilees said she was ''overwhelmed for a wee Dunedin girl'' to have received the award.
''Everyone who does this job is a winner. It's hard work being a caregiver.''
The judges said Mrs Merrilees' commitment and willingness to go the extra mile, and consistently excellent results in resident surveys, were behind her success.
Mrs Merrilees said caregivers had to be passionate about their job.
It gave her great satisfaction to see her residents happy and she loved talking to people and families.
She began working at Frances Hodgkins, in St Clair, 14 years ago as a caregiver and worked her way up to services manager and caregiver trainer.
''It has been challenging ... [the award] means all the hard work is worth it and all the caregivers out there reap the benefit,'' she said.
In celebration of the award, the retirement village held a morning tea. Mrs Merrilees said all the attention was humbling: ''I just want it all to die down now.''
- Erin Speedy
