The daffodils met the visitor to GraniteHill with colour and bouquet aplenty on Thursday 20 August as the aged care home treated residents to a morning tea in celebration of Daffodil Day. Yellow iced cakes and 'the good china' brought an extra touch of class to the residents' gathering and cancer-awareness event. Fundraising from the day came through the purchase of hundreds of daffodils which decorated not just the dining room, but every room throughout the building, supplied through a Shepparton florist. CEO Melissa Seymour brought depth to the day by talking about cancer and her own journey into aged care. She said the day provided an opportunity for residents to enhance their friendships and strengthen the home's sense of community, while not shying away from the sobriety of the occasion. "Cancer is not selective," Ms Seymour said. "It can come at any stage of your life, and we so need to have that level of awareness of cancer. "And that awareness goes beyond those who have had cancer, to their families and the wider community." The heart of the story, however, came from the residents themselves, with Janet Hayes describing GraniteHill as a home away from home. "The staff were wonderful," she said. "They really go out of their way to make life not like living in a home." Such is the widespread praise for life at GraniteHill that Ms Seymour's alignment with the sentiment is reflected in her own decision to change careers and enter aged care. The former Rural Clinical School Manager at Melbourne University found inspiration following her mother's passing during the COVID pandemic and took time to explain the driving force behind both her own passion and that of her staff. "Our older people deserve to have the very best at this stage of their life," she said. "GraniteHill succeeds at being that place." Ms Seymour also said GraniteHill offered respite care for families by hosting short-term stays for loved ones, allowing carers an opportunity to rest and recharge. "The carer can then go on a holiday or have a break for their own health and wellbeing," she said. "There is more to here than just our fulltime residents." Enter Melissa Langdon, Melissa number two, from stage left. If Ms Seymour provides the vision for GraniteHill, Ms Langdon often provides much of the spark. Possessing a gift for conversation, usually humorous, and an ability to effortlessly put people at ease, she moves easily between residents, visitors, and staff with equal warmth. It is not difficult to understand why everyone seems to know her, and one could easily conclude she lifts the bar on staff enthusiasm. However, Ms Langdon is equally quick to point the focus back onto her co-workers. "Aged care work can be a real demanding vocation, but our staff want to be here," she said. "It's a happy place, and we're appreciative of all our staff." Ms Langdon has been with GraniteHill for eight months after 17 years already working in the field. Everyone seems to know her, and resident Beverley Keats laughs when recalling Ms Langdon's first day, when Mrs Keats found it necessary to personally give her a tour of the facility. Mrs Keats' report card on GraniteHill, however, comes from a position of considerable experience. "I was Tutor Sister at the Royal Brisbane Hospital," she said. "I taught nursing. "So I can compare here to many other establishments I've worked in, and this is by far one of the best places." That's not management talking the place up, nor marketing, but high praise from one of the strongest authorities available. The endorsement carries even more weight when Mrs Keats explains why she moved into GraniteHill. "My husband Andy was already here, and I was coming from Shepparton every day and that journey was taking its toll," she said. "So I thought it was easier to move in here." Ms Langdon is quick to chime in on what has since become something of a running joke. "Beverley greets me every morning, ever since that first day tour she gave me." Before long, the morning tea breaks up and the genuineness of both Melissas, and all the staff, becomes apparent as they return to their day. Ms Seymour's words summed it up. "It's a gloomy winter's day outside, but the splash of daffodils throughout the whole building really made today quite special." Daffodil Day went above and beyond its brief at GraniteHill, revealing the friendship, support and sense of community that has become part of daily life there.
