Hobbies
Welcome to Seniors of Sydney. My name is Rebecca. I am an amateur artist, particularly enjoying portraiture. I like sewing and having recently bought my first sewing machine, made a patchwork quilt which is currently awaiting quilting and finishing.
I love the great outdoors and spend lots of time walking and running. I recently completed the Sydney Marathon, Melbourne Marathon and the Ultimate Hard Yakka virtually. COVID-19 has affected the whole world, but it has encouraged me to be more active and appreciate the world at our doorstep.
Family
I live in the Inner West with my husband, Sam and 2 children, Gabriel and Imogen. My children are aged 10 and 8 years old. They are a handful, yet a lot of fun and I wouldn’t be without them (though sometimes I would like to return them for a refund). My third baby is a handsome black Toy Poodle, Humperdinck. In my opinion, he has the finest name in all of Sydney. Others may disagree.
From Across the Seas
I am originally from Yorkshire in the United Kingdom. When I moved here I never thought that I would miss Yorkshire, but I do, I miss it dearly. I never really appreciated the beauty, until moved to the other side of the world. If you have never travelled to Yorkshire you can view a stunning video of all it has to offer by clicking here. I grew up just outside the small market town, Brighouse. I spent my childhood playing on the pig farm opposite my house, where the farmer, Alwyn would let me assist with feeding and sometimes even delivering the piglets.
Growing up in a semi-rural setting, I never had a desire to live in a city. Yet when I moved to Sydney in 2011 when Gabriel was just 8 months old, we settled in Leichhardt in the Inner West. After the birth of my daughter Imogen in 2012 we decided we required more space and moved to Wahroonga for a time, though soon found it was not for us, returning to the city once again less than 12 months later. I can’t imagine living anywhere other than a big city now. I love that you can venture out at any time of day or night and feel a buzz in the air. It helps that Sydney is probably one of the most beautiful cities in the world.
When we moved here, we only intended for it to last 6-12 months. Yet here we are 10 years later and almost Australian citizens. For many years we spent every weekend exploring all that Sydney has to offer because we were never sure whether the adventure would come to an end. As a result, I know both the city, Greater Sydney and beyond well.
Career Choices
One of my first jobs, whilst still at school was working weekends in a nursing home which is where I discovered my love of hearing the stories and experiences of older people. I have worked many jobs over the years but have always returned to aged care. After completing a degree in Geography at the University of Durham, which I never used, I was sponsored by the NHS (where I worked in Learning Disabilities) to return to university to train as a nurse. I completed my Mental Health Nursing degree in 2009. Upon completion I returned to my love of older people, working in an in-patient assessment unit for clients over 65 years. I loved this job and would gladly have remained in this role forever, but when my husband was offered a job in Sydney we decided to ‘up sticks’ and move.
What I do Best
I currently work in a large retirement village as a Wellness Coordinator. I am responsible for the health, wellbeing and promotion of an active lifestyle for over 400 residents. I adore my job and the people I have met and become friends with. As part of my role, I spend much time researching ideas for suitable activities and trips for seniors. Whilst doing so I try to bear in mind limitations such as mobility and accessibility issues faced by many older people.
I hope you all enjoy my blog. I will try my best to make it as useful, interesting and entertaining as possible.