Ipswich nurse to represent Queensland at national awards

'When I was younger I was always a sick child and I was sent to hospital a couple of times, so I wanted to become a nurse to look after sick people'

Esther Arulogun with her ACSA Aged Care Award.

ESTHER Arulogun's dedication to the elderly over four decades has been recognised with a prestigious aged care industry award.

A Registered Nurse at Carinity Colthup Manor aged care community in Ipswich, Esther was awarded the Lifetime of Achievement Award by Aged and Community Services Australia (ACSA) on July 25.

The award recognises an individual who has worked in the delivery of services to older people for a minimum of 10 years, and their contribution to betterment of the aged care sector.

"I feel that it's a privilege to win this award and I think it's really rewarding and meaningful work to take care of these elderly people," Esther says.

Raised in Hong Kong, Esther studied and worked as a nurse then undertook post-graduate study in London, before moving to Queensland in 1982. She has been employed by Carinity since 1985, working all that time at Colthup Manor.

"When I was younger I was always a sick child and I was sent to hospital a couple of times, so I wanted to become a nurse to look after sick people," Esther says.

"I feel it is most meaningful to help the elderly people. When I see sick elderly people recover and they feel better they will say, 'Thank you so much', and it feels really good."

Carinity Colthup Manor customer service coordinator Karen Bird says while Esther has seen many changes in aged care over her years as a nurse, her dedication to seniors has remained constant.

"During the more than three decades she has worked in aged care, her dedication to the profession, her collaborative teamwork, her loyalty to her position, and her compassion and empathy towards the residents has been unwavering," Karen says.

"In a world in which you can expect to have four jobs in a lifetime, Esther's achievement of 35 years in aged care is rare enough, but to have also spent 33 of those years at the one place - Carinity Colthup Manor - is truly astounding."

Carinity CEO Jon Campbell says Esther is a deserving award recipient because of her "prolonged dedication to ensuring the quality and comfort of care for the aged".

"Esther has a wealth of invaluable experience and working knowledge. She has trained and mentored countless staff over the years to a high standard, ensuring the ongoing development of caring nurses into the future," Jon says.

Esther will now represent Queensland at the ACSA National Aged Care Awards in Sydney in September.