Each day, Mercy Place Dandenong Maintenance Officer David Barker goes above and beyond, proving that friendship is the most important part of his job.
As well as making sure that the building doesn’t fall apart, David also brings Mercy Place Dandenong residents and staff together. All of the residents know David and call him a friend — and he knows all of them and counts them as friends too. As Mercy Place Dandenong Service Manager Ralf Pelz says, “I went for a walk around the home with David when I started here and couldn’t believe the rapport he had with the residents — they express such delight when they see him. It’s just wonderful.”
Mercy Place Dandenong Service Manager Ralf Pelz with David
Relationships are at the core of Mercy Health’s approach to aged care.
A carpenter by trade, David decided to take his skills off the building site and into the aged care setting after immigrating to Australia from the United Kingdom in 2009. In May 2018, he joined the team at Mercy Place Dandenong (then known as Southern Cross Care Dandenong*).
Whether residents are here for a day, a week, or 10 years, you need to make those days as good as they can be.
There is no such thing as a typical day in the working life of David Barker. Each day he is busy patching and painting walls, sprucing up rooms for new residents, coordinating contractors and undertaking countless other tasks that keep Mercy Place Dandenong in excellent working order.
Apart from these practical tasks, David’s day is also peppered with many meaningful interactions with residents — a laugh here, a ‘how are you?’ there, and always lots of smiles. It is obvious that the relationships are the most cherished part of his job.
Mercy Place Dandenong Resident Gratiaen Jones with David
“When residents first come here they probably think: ‘Who is this portly guy with short hair?’ But you grow with these people. You know that what you do makes a difference to their lives and they make a difference to mine as well. It’s a pleasure — a real pleasure — to work here every day,” he says.
The bonds of friendship also extend to the families of residents, some of whom still drop in at Mercy Place Dandenong for a cup of tea and a chat, years after their loved one has passed away.
“Whether residents are here for a day, a week, or 10 years, you need to make those days as good as they can be. They bring a smile to my face and hopefully I put a smile on theirs,” David says.
*Southern Cross Care (Vic) merged with Mercy Health in July 2017. In April this year, the brand Southern Cross Care (Vic) became part of Mercy Health Home and Community Care and is now known as Mercy Health Home Care Services.
Last reviewed July 5, 2019.