Robyn goes above and beyond at Murray Gardens

Picking fresh lemons from the grounds of Murray Gardens Retirement Village and leaving them at residents’ doors with a note saying, ‘When life gives you lemons, make lemonade’, is just one kind way Village Manager Robyn Anderson made a big difference during the height of the COVID pandemic.

“It was just a small way we could help brighten their day,” she says.

“Looking after residents is incredibly rewarding,” says Robyn. Which is probably why she doesn’t just simply do her job, but she always goes above and beyond every day to ensure that the village’s residents and her team are exceptionally supported and cared for.

Whether it’s been strict COVID isolation rules, or devastating bushfires and floods, Robyn has always gone beyond the role of manager to make life better at Murray Gardens since she arrived in 2018.

Care at the forefront

“The residents’ care and welfare are at the forefront of my mind every day,” she says. “There is nothing more important.”

When the COVID pandemic started, Murray Gardens was put on high alert due to the older age of its residents. According to New South Wales rules at the time, each resident was required to isolate in their unit for 14 days after exposure.

“It wasn’t a fun time, but I had people relying on me to keep them safe,” she says.

Robyn immediately sprang into action on behalf of the affected residents, organising their meal deliveries, laundry service, rubbish collection, mail delivery and shopping. She also communicated with the residents’ families if they were unable to and performed regular welfare checks to ensure each and every resident was taken care of.

When COVID vaccines became available she also organised for an on-site vaccination clinic at the village.

Leading by example

When team members were forced into mandatory isolation, Robyn led by example, taking on roles far outside her own. She stepped in to fill maintenance shifts, learned to cook in the kitchen to ensure meal services continued, and gained competency in medication distribution.

She also filled several sleep-over shifts to care support for residents throughout the night, even though she had a day shift the following day.

“You just do what you have to do,” Robyn says.

However, her challenges did not end there. With Murray Gardens being located on the border of NSW and Victoria, and half of her team residing in Victoria, Robyn was faced with ever-changing border restrictions and government health directives affecting her ability to manage the village.
She applied for all the relevant permits for her team members residing in Victoria or she accommodated them at Murray Gardens, so they didn’t have to navigate the border crossing. Many residents with family in Victoria were also affected.

A passionate advocate

Robyn also recognises that some residents may need assistance to stay in their homes for as long as possible.

In February 2022, Robyn assisted in the introduction of a home care program via external provider Mercy Health. She built a relationship with the service provider that now offers personalised assistance for residents based on their needs.

“This not only helps residents stay independent but gives their families reassurance they have appropriate support,” she explains.

Robyn also identified aged units within the village that could be remodelled. She oversaw the refurbishment which resulted in the units being more senior-friendly.

She did all this while also managing a renovation of the village’s community centre and overseeing the installation of a solar energy project.

In April 2023, Robyn successfully ran both a flu and COVID clinic for the start of winter for all of the residents and our staffthe village team. This has been a big undertaking to ensure everyone is kept as safe as possible and something that Robyn is understandably pretty proud of.
We can’t wait to see what Robyn does at Murray Gardens in the future!