Meet Our Team: Wendy Vaughan, Care Manager

About Our Team

As a family-owned company, The CareSide sprouted from entrepreneurial roots in 2017 with a simple goal: deliver the best home care in Australia at the most affordable prices. Today, we’re a national provider with an ever-growing care footprint, supported by a team of diverse, mission-driven professionals who are sincerely passionate about providing the highest quality care possible. 

Wendy Vaughan is one of those professionals. She started as a Care Manager at The CareSide in 2024, but her career in caring spans nearly three decades. As a nurse, Wendy has provided her services in numerous fields including aged care, paediatrics, mental health, community nursing, palliative care and more. Read on to learn more about Wendy and her experience as a  Care Manager at The CareSide.

Share a bit about yourself. What’s your story, and what brought you to home care?

Wendy: I’ve been a nurse for 26 years, and I started in aged care as a personal carer. At one point early in my career, one of my teachers told me I should ‘do something else’—but I pushed myself because not only do I enjoy this work, but I’m also good at building relationships with my clients and colleagues. Earning my nursing degree allowed me to explore many other types of roles, including hospital work, palliative care, mental health services and paediatrics. I’ve dabbled in nearly everything and it was all rewarding, but I wanted to return to home care!

Why did you join The CareSide?

Wendy: I chose The CareSide because [our COO and co-founder], Emily Gillett, is a nurse and The CareSide employs nurses for care manager roles. It is so important to have that knowledge and background—Emily understands how organisations in aged care operate. Most home care companies don’t have that insight, so they can’t support their staff properly. There has to be a balance of support for clients and staff members. Emily  understands how to support The CareSide staff. If you have a happy staff, you have happy clients. 

 

What’s your favourite part about being a Care Manager? What’s the most demanding part?

Wendy: My favourite part of my job is leveraging my nursing background to build the rapport with my clients. When they say ‘Thank you’, you can hear the appreciation in their voice. Many of our clients are  struggling, especially with carer burnout. They feel supported because of our help. Every little bit counts, even the small gestures.

The most challenging part of my job is [securing] equipment people need to remain in their homes. Due to the Aged Care Guidelines, we often have to jump through hoops and sometimes it’s not easy to source the necessary equipment [such as walkers, shower chairs, and grab bars]. Our clients can’t see how complicated this can be behind the scenes, but once we get everything in place, that’s always a good thing!

What’s your favourite part about working at The CareSide?

Wendy: My favourite part is definitely the support we get from [senior leadership] and regional managers, as well as the peer support from the other Care Managers. I feel fully supported in my role. If I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed, there is always someone to talk to, even if I’m just having a bad day. Someone is always there. My manager, Janina Dickerson, is fantastic.

What does a typical workday look like for you?

Wendy: Care Managers at The CareSide have an app we can access 24 hours a day, so in the morning, I catch up and reply to messages while having coffee. I try to prioritise who needs to be contacted straight away for urgent issues; but I’ll also review rostering, follow up on equipment requests, respond to emails and collaborate with the finance team about statements, if necessary. I speak with clients throughout the day over the phone to discuss care plans and place orders for supplies (such as continence aids). 

Care Managers also have a handy scorecard, it’s like a guide for us. In The CareSide’s system, each of us has our own dashboard to keep track of everything we need, such as contacts, care plan reviews, budgeting tasks and equipment approvals. It’s one of the best systems I’ve ever come across—and I’ve had to navigate many different systems during my career! But this is the best I’ve seen, it has everything I need to stay on top of my tasks and clients.

In a perfect world, what does the future of home care look like? 

Wendy: Ideally, everyone who wants to remain in their own homes would be able to do so. That’s what it’s all about.

Can you share an inspiring or touching story about one of your clients? 

Wendy: It’s difficult to come up with just one story. I’ve saved lives and seen people in their most difficult and vulnerable moments. I take it all in stride and get up every day to leave my footprint on the world and make a lasting impression in the lives of others. I try to bring sunshine to someone else’s gloomy day. I’ve worked with exhausted Mums and children who have no idea what the future offers them; I’ve sat with patients during their last breath and comforted the inconsolable. I’ve cared for addicts and people suffering from homelessness, and I’ve held the hands of toddlers as their doctors performed cannulation. It has all been part of my colourful career.

What improvements or changes would you like to see in the home care industry? 

Wendy: I’d like the system to be a little more lenient regarding equipment people get to use within the Aged Care Guidelines. It needs to be more accommodating for the people who desperately need help. One small example is podiatry shoes. To ensure people can safely remain in their homes, it is important to guarantee they have the necessary resources.

If you weren’t a Care Manager at The CareSide, what would you be up to? 

Wendy: I’d be in nursing, either working in a hospital or a small medical practice. I’d still be working in healthcare, of course.

What’s one thing you’d like everyone to know about support workers? 

Wendy: Support workers possess a wealth of knowledge and are skilled in many aspects of life. When you meet a support worker, you quickly realise the depth of their expertise. As frontline workers, they need to feel valued and respected. Respect is a big thing. Support workers deserve care and consideration.