Julie speaks with Reverend Ron Baker, who is almost 90-years old and lives in a residential aged care facility in Australia. Ron has a wealth of knowledge and experience in a wide range of topics and he has first-hand experience of how COVID19 has impacted those living in residential aged care facilities this year.
Ron shares how long he’s been in an aged care facility and how the transition was for him when he first moved there. He then tells Julie a bit about his life, his career in ministry and the way he’s applying those skills and connecting with other residents in his facility too.
Ron explains how he loves studying and researching, as well as how he sees technology both to connect with people but also to continue to feed his fascination for learning. He talks about how he connects with people and engages with residents, including those from non-English speaking backgrounds.
Ron also shares about the impact of having residents in his facility pass away and how powerful technology has been for getting a sense of closure and connection through attending funerals via video link.
Julie and Ron discuss what people should say when they visit a resident in an aged care facility, how we can incorporate family and the outside world into the locked-down aged care facilities, and the importance of having a readjustment plan for residents coming out of lockdown.
Julie and Ron finish their chat discussing the power of gratitude and his positive view of how he believes this pandemic will impact younger generations.
This episode is proudly brought to you by the Enhancing Emotional Wellbeing in late life workshop. This essential training is for anyone supporting older adults, seeking practical strategies to reduce isolation and loneliness, and help older adults make new and exciting as well as fulfilling moments. 

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