Message from our CEO
Homewood Herald - June/July Edition
Deepa Dongol • August 4, 2025
In this issue:
Message from General Manager
Message from Care Manager
Events and celebrations
Resident Spotlight
Staff Shoutout
Photo(s) of the month
Notices & Reminders
Message from CEO, Bronwyn Heard
Thank you to residents and staff and families for supporting us to maintain good management procedures throughout a flu outbreak that has affected everyone through the end of June and early July. We will continue to be vigilant for the remaining winter months because we want residents and staff to stay well.
Our Leisure and Lifestyle team have a great program coming up in the next few weeks, so please look out for the additional outings and day to day options that will be on offer.
I’m very pleased to welcome Poonam Sharma who has replaced Anita as our Accounts Officer. She is picking up the work throughout June. Please say “hello” to her if you are near her office near the cinema and hairdresser.
We are finalising our budget for the next year, including an upgrade to the Balcony on Level 1 of Homewood Nursing Home and new carpet throughout Homewood Gardens.
After four months as Interim CEO, I have accepted the Board and Proprietors’ offer to become the permanent CEO. I am looking forward to getting to know all of you over the next couple of years, maintaining Homewood’s friendly and homely culture and building our expert care and general services teams.
Message from General Manager
Hi Team,
I wanted to share a few exciting updates happening around Homewood!
We’ve just ordered three new vergolas — one for the Gardens ground floor, one for the Gardens first floor, and another for Homewood’s first floor. Each vergola will come with its own lighting, making our outdoor areas more functional and welcoming both during the day and in the evenings. The aim is to create more comfortable, shaded, and enjoyable outdoor spaces for our residents to relax and spend time in.
You may have noticed the Gardens looking a bit greener — that’s thanks to our wonderful new gardener, Tony, who is now with us once a week. We’ve also welcomed Burt, our new Maintenance Assistant, who’s been a great support to Billy around the home.
Thanks for all that you do — and as always, if you have suggestions or ideas, please feel free to share.
Message from Care Manager
A COVID-19 outbreak was declared at Homewood Nursing Home and Homewood Gardens following confirmed positive cases among residents. The outbreak was managed using infection prevention and control guidelines and in consultation with the Public Health Unit. The outbreak was officially declared closed on 9 July 2025 for Homewood Nursing Home and 11th July for Homewood Gardens.
Next Steps:
• Continue routine infection control practices
• Reinforce staff education on respiratory hygiene and PPE use
• Maintain outbreak preparedness and ongoing surveillance
We thank all staff, residents, families, and healthcare partners for their ongoing support and cooperation during this outbreak period.
Events and celebrations
Ursula Turns 101 – and Still Glowing!
No fuss, no drama – just 101 years of grace, good humour, and a positive attitude. According to Ursula, the secret to a long life is:
“Not taking things too seriously and always keeping your chin up!”
In the first photo, she’s pictured with her wonderful nephew Tony, whose weekly visits warm her heart. Tony was once the much-loved bus driver for St George Transport – a fan favourite among our residents, known for his sharp sense of humour and unforgettable outings
The second photo shows Ursula with our lovely nurse Sabina, who supports both clinical care and activities. Sabina has a huge heart and brings laughter wherever she goes.
And finally, meet Kerry – our fabulous hairdresser (aka Kerryoke). With her beautiful, caring nature, Kerry is always looking for ways to support our residents. Whether she’s giving a fresh cut or singing 80s hits in the salon, she brings joy to everyone she meets.
Happy Birthday Ursula – you’re an inspiration to us all!
Snapshot of some activities at Homewood Care
View more
Resident Spotlight:
Katina Yacoumidis
Please enjoy this lovely photo of Katina Yacoumidis, a much-loved member of the Homewood family for more than 18 years.
Before coming to Homewood, Katina was known for her deep love of cooking, cleaning, and caring for her family—all of which brought her great joy. That same zest for life still shines through in her beautiful smile and warm laugh, which continue to brighten the first floor every day.
We’d also like to acknowledge her incredible daughter, Sophia, who has been a wonderful supporter of Homewood and our residents. Sophia regularly gives her time to help others, often spending hours volunteering and finding ways to give back to our community.
Outside of Homewood, Sophia also helps run a coffee shop with her son called Black Gold Espresso in Rosebery—be sure to stop by and show your support.
📸 Photo(s) of the Month – It’s a Tie!
This month we couldn’t pick just one favourite – so we’re celebrating two beautiful moments captured at Homewood.
👶 First up, we have another adorable baby visit – little Charlotte came to see her great-grandmother, Shirley. These visits never fail to brighten our day and bring smiles all around.
☀️ Our second photo is of Carla and Anna enjoying a lovely walk outdoors. With their stylish hats and sunglasses, they’re looking effortlessly cool – and if you look closely, you’ll see Anna giving us her signature cheeky grin!
Thank you to everyone who helps create these special moments. Keep them coming!
Notices & Reminders
Carpet tiles in Gardens
This weekend, we’re thrilled to be upgrading the carpet in The Gardens! Both the ground and first floors will have their old carpet removed and replaced with brand-new carpet tiles.
Work is scheduled to take place across Saturday and Sunday, and we are hopeful the installation will be completed within the weekend. I’ll be on-site throughout the process to help support the team and ensure everything runs smoothly.
We’re looking forward to a fresh new look for The Gardens!
Leisure and Lifestyle Update 🎨🍳🚌
Following the success of our first art class, we're thrilled to be hosting another one this month! It’s a fantastic opportunity for residents to tap into their creativity and enjoy some relaxed, social time with others.
We’re also excited to announce the return of Cooking Club! This month, residents will have the chance to share their favorite recipes, cooking tips, and treasured memories — teaching not only our staff but fellow residents too. It’s all about connection, tradition, and delicious food.
And great news — bus trips are back! For those who love to get out and about, we’ll be hitting the road again soon for some fresh air, beautiful views, and good company.
Stay tuned for dates and details — we can’t wait to see you there!
🎉Celebrating Staff Milestones
Over the past two months, we’ve proudly celebrated the incredible dedication of our long-serving team members.
- This month, we recognised staff who have been with Homewood for 5 and 10 years
- Last month, we honoured those who reached 15, 20, and 25-year milestones
With these celebrations, we’ve now officially acknowledged all staff who have reached a service milestone — and what an achievement it has been!
Out of our 158 staff, an amazing 40 team members have been with us for 5 years or more, which speaks volumes about the heart and loyalty of our Homewood family.
We look forward to celebrating even more milestones next year — thank you all for the care, commitment and warmth you bring every single day.
💍 Congratulations to Praful!
We are thrilled to congratulate our Clinical Coordinator and leader of the Homewood Ground Floor Nursing Team — Praful — on his recent engagement to his beautiful fiancée, Melina! Wishing you both a lifetime of love and happiness. Your Homewood family is so excited for you!
Meet Abishkar Bataju - A Versatile and valued Team Member
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In this issue: Message from interim CEO, General Manager's shoutout, Events and celebrations, Resident Spotlight, Staff Shoutout, Photo of the month, Notices & Reminders
In this issue: Message from the CEO, Hot from the desk of the DON, Vaccination – COVID-19, Visiting, social media, Celebrations, Food brought into the home, Refreshing our home, Staff news and MORE!
