FILLING the halls of The Oaks Aged Care Facility with laughter and joy for many years, Mount Gambier resident Eileen Cruise will be greatly missed after saying a sad farewell to her nursing career last month.
For 38 years, the cherished employee brought happiness to the lives of many elderly residents in their last years of life at the Yahl-based nursing home.
Forging friendships with not only her fellow staff but the residents in her care, Ms Cruise said there were many tears as she left the facility and entered retirement.
“You love them as much as you do your own family, they depend on you and get attached to you,” she said.
Although Ms Cruise will no longer care for the residents, she will still see their smiling faces as she visits her mother who also resides at the facility.
“When I come in now some of my residents grab me and give me a big hug because they are like a second family,” she said.
“But the strangest part was coming back and having to stop myself from going to help the other nurses or interfere if there was something going on.”
Starting at the facility on September 17, 1979, after the birth of her first child, Ms Cruise made the move from working with newborns in the maternity ward to the elderly.
“I have seen babies coming into the world and then at the other end of life I’ve had the honour of being there when people have passed away,” she said.
“Although it is really hard to see them pass away after developing a friendship, it is also a special time that not many people get to be a part of.”
Ms Cruise said one of the most touching moments of her career was when a man with dementia came in to say goodbye to his sister who had passed away.
“It was very moving, he grabbed her hand and just said goodbye, he didn’t recognise the rest of his family, but to think that he remembered her was very emotional,” she said.
“If you see how they have suffered, it is really a release when they pass away and a blessing.”
Over her years Ms Cruise has witnessed many changes, including the transition to the new building.
“I was the first one to come over to the new building with one of the oldest residents at the time – that was a nice moment,” she said.
“I also ended up nursing the daughter of one of my first residents in the old building years down the track, it’s crazy to think that I was there for so long.”
Always wanting to pursue a career in nursing, Ms Cruise said there was never anything else she had considered doing.
“When I was 16 I looked after an old lady in her house and in my holidays I worked in the Edenhope Hospital,” she said.
“There was a matron there who would take me under her wing each time because she knew I wanted to do nursing.”
Moving on to the next chapter of her life, Ms Cruise said she will miss working at the facility and caring for her residents.
“It’s very hard work, but you get a lot back – I think more than what you give,” she said.
“Like every job you get a bit sick of it at times and it can be frustrating, especially in aged care, but the residents are so caring and really adopt you as part of their family.
“The care here is marvellous and the girls are terrific, I could not have asked for a better place to work at and better people to work with.”
