05 March 2026
International Women's Day this year invites us to Balance the Scales, a promise that every woman and girl should be safe, heard, and free to shape her own life. At Estia Health, where so many women live and work, that promise takes shape every day. At Estia Health Albury, it lives in the connection between Tammy and Rose.
Tammy
Tammy has worked at Estia Health Albury for fifteen years. “Working in aged care has always been a dream of mine,” she says, “but it wasn’t until I was 39 that I took the leap and went back to TAFE to make it happen.” It was hard. It was also, without question, worth it.
There is something about the way Tammy talks about her work that makes it obvious this is not just a job. "Supporting our residents, listening to their stories, being part of their daily lives. It brings me so much purpose and joy." She speaks about the residents the way you speak about people you love, with detail and the kind of care that comes from paying attention. She knows their stories. She knows what makes them light up and what keeps them up at night. She has sat with them through hard things.
Tammy is proud of what she does, and she is proud of how she got here. "As a woman, this role means so much to me personally," she says. "Going back to study at 39 showed me it's never too late to follow your dreams. I want my family to see that hard work, dedication and heart truly matter. And this role isn't just a job to me, it's part of who I am."
What has kept her at Estia Health for fifteen years is the people. The residents and the team, who have become something more like family over the years.
And it is Rose.
Rose
Rose is 93 years young.
Rose and her sister moved to Australia from India in 1982, both of them qualified teachers. Rose had spent years training for a career she loved, and she came here ready to continue it. Her sister’s qualifications were recognised, but Australia didn’t recognise Rose’s. The path she had worked toward was simply closed.
Rather than be defeated, she adapted. She took on factory work in Essendon, Melbourne, rebuilding her life, and over time made a home in a country far from where she began.
When her sister passed away, Rose eventually found her way to Estia Health Albury, but not before visiting five different aged care homes. She knew what she was looking for. And when she arrived at Estia Health, she knew she had found it.
Rose has lived at Albury for six years now. She is, as those around her will tell you, a woman of quiet determination. Intelligent, gentle, dignified and someone whose warmth and cultural background enrich our Estia Health family every day.
“She is deeply valued by both residents and employees, and it is a privilege to care for her and share in her journey,” Tammy says.
The thing about Tammy and Rose
The relationship between a carer and a resident can go many ways. It can be warm and professional. It can be kind and consistent. What Tammy and Rose have is something harder to categorise and easier to understand when you hear them talk about each other.
Tammy has supported Rose through anxiety, a breast cancer diagnosis, and the adjustments that come with ageing. “Tammy means the world to me. She is always kind, caring and ready to help whenever I need her.” When Rose was in hospital, Tammy called. “All the time,” Rose says. “She called all the time to check on me. And when I came home, she was there. She made me feel safe and cared for. She is not just a staff member to me. She is someone very special in my life.”
And for Tammy, she will tell you all the things she has learned from Rose. Patience, cultural understanding and the importance of truly listening. Rose reminds Tammy that care is not just about physical support - it’s about respect and connection. There is a strength in Rose that Tammy says is hard to put into words, the kind that only comes from lived experience.
“I hold so much love and respect for Rose. Our relationship is built on trust, compassion and mutual understanding, and I feel privileged to walk alongside her in this chapter of her life.”
Balancing the scales
International Women's Day is a reminder to reflect on how women are supported at every stage of life. Not just today, but every day.
At Estia Health, and in an industry with one of the most female-represented workforces in the country, we see what that looks like in real and meaningful ways.
It looks like a woman in her late thirties, deciding she is not too old to begin again, and proving to herself that she was right. It looks like a migrant woman whose qualifications were not recognised, yet who built a new life with grace and determination. In the support Tammy gives Rose, and in what Rose gives back. A relationship that goes both ways.
If Rose were to offer advice to younger women, it would be this: “Live each day as it comes and make the most of it. Life moves quickly, so treasure the small moments and the people around you. Always look for the goodness in others. Kindness and understanding will carry you through life more than anything else.”
Ninety-three years of life, and that’s what she comes back to. Kindness.
And when women are shown kindness and supported at every stage of life, we don’t just balance the scales.
We strengthen them.
