38 years, one special community: Meet the trusted Whiddon leader who still calls residents her second family

Sandra Osborne has, for 38 years, walked through the doors of Whiddon Grafton, watching generations of residents, families and staff become part of a community she now describes as home. ​

As Residential Services Manager, Sandra's days are filled supporting residents and their families, overseeing the team and making sure the small details that make life at Whiddon Grafton special don't get overlooked. Sandra says what has kept her at Whiddon for nearly four decades is the people, the residents, their families and the staff.

“The people at Whiddon Grafton keep me coming back every day. There are always things happening. Every day is different and I love seeing the residents enjoying themselves, whether it’s a special event, an activity or simply sitting down together having a coffee,” Sandra said.

A key part of Sandra's role is making sure residents have opportunities to remain active, connected, and engaged. Whiddon Grafton has an extensive wellbeing and lifestyle program, with activities and events taking place throughout the month. One of Sandra's favourite events is Paint and Sip, held on Fridays, where residents come together to paint while enjoying nibbles and a drink of their choice. ​

“Paint and Sip is a magical moment. You see everyone getting involved, having a laugh and enjoying each other’s company. Those are the moments that make you smile.”

There are plenty of other moments of joy throughout the week, including the residents' much-loved Tuesday pizza days, made possible by the site's pizza oven. The home also has several courtyards, a café, a bowling green and barbecue area, creating spaces where residents can spend time with friends and family.

Sandra has also become part of the community's own stories and traditions. During bingo, she jokes that the Queen of Hearts seems to regularly appear whenever she walks through the activities room, leading residents to affectionately nickname her the “Queen of Hearts.”

The joke eventually became something more permanent when, while Sandra was on leave, residents painted a picture of her as the Queen of Hearts. The artwork was later auctioned, with Sandra ultimately winning her own portrait, which now proudly hangs in her office.

“I ended up winning my own painting of myself. It’s proudly displayed on my office wall,” Sandra said.

For Sandra, these are the moments that demonstrate the relationships that have developed over decades. That connection also extends to the way Whiddon Grafton approaches food. With a new chef team working at the home, residents regularly take part in Foodies meetings, where they discuss upcoming menus and suggest dishes they'd like to see. Sandra says the chefs make every effort to respond to residents' preferences.

“If there are things on the menu that they would like to see, our chefs go above and beyond to get that for them. Creating a strong relationship with families is equally important. I build trust with families by communicating with them and letting them know who I am and what my role is,” she said.

Whiddon Grafton is home to 109 residents, with a range of accommodation options including single and companion rooms, allowing couples to remain together.

“When we have special event days, whether it’s Australia Day or Valentine’s Day, the residents just get in and have a ball,” she said. “All you hear is smiles and laughter.”

After 38 years, Sandra says she still feels proud to lead the community.

“I would let people know, come in and talk to us. We’re more than happy to give you a tour, meet the team and have a look at what our residents are doing,” she said.

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Whiddon Grafton Imagery

About Whiddon

Whiddon is an award-winning care provider that aims to inspire every day across its residential aged care homes, community care and NDIS services throughout NSW and Southeast Queensland.

For more than 75 years, Whiddon has provided care and support to older Australians and people living with disability across regional, rural and remote communities.

Whiddon proudly partners with academics and universities to remain at the forefront of innovation, leading new thinking, programs and training around quality of life and ageing.