Team Leader Gordana Knezic Celebrates 30 Years of Service at Calvary Ryde Retirement Community

26th July 2017

Calvary Ryde Retirement Community employee Gordana Knezic loves her role in aged care. She has been working in the aged care industry and at Calvary Ryde for the past 30 years.

Gordana grew up in the North of Serbia, in the city of Novisad near the Danube River. She attended the local school, then went to music school, where she played the Violin.

When Gordana was 11 years old her family migrated to Australia and settled in Sydney. She attended Auburn Girls High School, finishing in 1976.

After finishing school, Gordana went to the Metropolitan Business College in Parramatta before working for a legal business for a short time. Gordana then took a job at Auburn District Hospital (ADH) as a Physiotherapist Assistant and enjoyed working in the health industry.

“I have worked at Calvary for more than 30 years. I came across aged care by chance. One day I was accompanying a friend for a job interview at St Margaret’s Psychiatric Hospital and Sr. Louise McMahon asked me what was I doing, I replied about my role at ADH and was then offered a job at St. Margaret’s. Time has gone very quickly since I began working at Ryde” said Gordana.

Gordana has held many roles over the years, as a Physiotherapist Aid, a Care Staff member, a Nursing Assistant and now as a Team Leader.

“My role here at Calvary is a Team Leader, working mainly in Mary Potter Residential Aged Care Facility, across the three wings of St. Margaret’s, St. Anne’s and St. Joseph’s. My role includes leading and/or supervising the work of other care staff, assisting the residents in their daily living and personal care tasks and attending to all other clinical checks”.

Gordana is bilingual, speaking both English and Serbian. As a result she also assists with translating and interpreting for many of the multicultural residents at Calvary Ryde.

When asked what she likes about working at Calvary, Gordana said “The residents, seeing the smiles on their faces. I just love helping others and being part of a team”.

Colleague Glen Renton said “Gordana is always helpful, very co-operative, and willing to give a hand. She is a joy to work with”.