Home is where we belong
At Cumberland View, acknowledging, accepting and celebrating diversity in our home is an important part of our philosophy. We endeavour to ensure that every resident feels safe, supported, loved, and nurtured in their home and amongst our community. Our home supports a personalised and tailored approach to care, where our dedicated team will sit down with new residents upon entrance to the home and get to know them so that we can tailor particular activities and events in our lifestyle program.
Our dedicated lifestyle team work hard to prepare a range of fun, interesting and diverse activities that are of interest to residents. This is everything from cultural days, to reminiscing on past travels, and everything in between.
Janine Linnert, Leisure and Lifestyle Coordinator at Cumberland View tells us that residents are encouraged to share stories with residents and staff as the home acknowledges all cultures, orientations, and religions. ‘We enjoy hearing their stories, we travel the globe with armchair travel, we experience cultural foods through our menu and taste testings, we celebrate dance through their music and cultural dress that residents and staff wear,’ Janine says. ‘It’s important that we celebrate diversity so that no matter what your culture, religion or sexual orientation, you are made to feel included, and given the opportunity to continue your traditions and beliefs, it is a gift to be shared and experienced together.’
Janine highlights that it is a wonderful experience to see the delight and joy on residents’ faces as they experience the celebrations of other ethnicities. ‘We bring dancers, music, armchair travel, food and vibrancy for all our residents to enjoy,’ she says. ‘It is so important to know and learn about your residents’ culture, beliefs, religion and orientations so that it can be incorporated into the lifestyle program. We want to give all residents a feeling of pride and happiness that they can share, celebrate and talk about their culture freely.’
For Cumberland View Aged Care resident, Di, diversity and inclusion has been a large part of her upbringing and reflected in many areas throughout her life. Di grew up in Ireland and for the first 10 years went to a Church of England school followed by a Co-education Quaker school for the remainder. She loves to chat about her own experiences and her love of learning about different religions, customs, and traditions from around the world.
Di tells us that her mother was sadly disowned by her Roman Catholic family for marrying a man of Quaker faith and attending their Sunday meetings. She believes because of this her parents were very approving of inclusion and freedom of expression. Di shared that it is important for every person’s journey and story to be celebrated so that they feel welcome in their community. She loves the cultural days and musical performances celebrated at Cumberland View as well as the different crafts we make to acknowledge diversity. Di tells us that she is very proud of her Bible which is translated into modern English because it’s easier to read and whether it is your belief or not, we should all be able to understand each other.
Di loves to be social and always has a joke to share. She tells us that she feels welcome because she is always invited to come along to activities. She loves craft, devotions, bingo, musical concerts and having a coffee with friends. As a result, Di has made good friends here at Cumberland View and she is an integral part of our community.
