Andrew Portelli – Team Leader

Every moment matters

Andrew’s work day starts later than most other jobs, as he opts to work the afternoon shift. This generally begins at 2pm if he’s rostered on as a supervisor, and 4pm if he’s the medications nurse. After their handover with the morning shift, the afternoon shift team gets to work on their game plan. They help the residents get ready for bed, administer medications, and then everyone starts to settle down for the night.

As he’s gotten to know which residents like to stay up a bit later, Andrew enjoys spending time interacting with them and helping them wind down in the evenings.

“Every little thing counts. When you go out of your way to give them your time and listen to their stories, it makes their day.”

Working the afternoon shift means Andrew can spend more time doing things he enjoys, such as bush walking, cooking, and getting out into nature with his camera in hand to take pictures of the spectacular New South Wales central coast.

“Once my sons grew up and left school, I didn’t want to get up as early, so it’s nice that I get to sleep in a bit more. I’m also the cook at home, so now that my mornings are free, I can help out by cooking dinner for my family to eat while I’m at work that night. I’m usually home by 10-10.30pm, and I’ll have a cuppa, watch some Netflix, and go to bed around midnight. It’s a nice routine; it works well for me and allows me to spend more time doing what I love.”

Passion for people

For anyone looking to pursue a career in aged care, Andrew’s a prime example that it’s never too late to make the change. He does see one quality that’s essential for anyone looking to join ASL: having a genuine love for people..

“If you love people, it’s the perfect job. I treat my residents as if they’re family, because they could be your family – your mum, dad, grandparents. If you treat them the way you love your family, you won’t have any dramas. It’s not a job where you’re there for the money – you’re there for purpose, to show someone you care.”

Despite the sombre moments that can accompany a career in aged care, Andrew’s determined to be the light, and you’ll always find him on hand with a warm smile or a joke to brighten someone’s spirits.

“Our residents are here for a reason, and that’s unfortunately because they’re getting towards the end of their life. It can be a sad job sometimes, but we’re here for them, and everything we do is for them. If I put a smile on their face or give them medication that eases their pain, that’s only small but it gives them a better quality of life in their last stages, and that makes it all worthwhile for me.”

Andrew hopes to continue creating moments that matter for our residents for a long time to come, and genuinely wishes he had started his career at ASL much earlier. His dedication to providing exceptional care is second to none, and we feel lucky to have Andrew with us.