March 8 is International Women’s Day. This year’s theme is Inspire Inclusion and to mark the occasion, we caught up with LiveBetter’s Helen Miller, General Manager of In-Home Support Services & Clinical Lead, a woman who each day inspires us all with her incredible energy, passion, and experience.
For Helen, “International Women’s Day is an opportunity for all of us, as women, to reflect on what it is that we do that inspires someone else – and where we get our inspiration from.”
“Over 70% of LiveBetter’s workforce are women, and many of our leadership roles are held by women. We need to celebrate that. I think LiveBetter should celebrate all the women that we have in our workforce – for everything that they bring to the table. Every one of those women has a story; every one of those women will inspire someone else. And that to me is important.”
We wanted to learn more about Helen, how she came to work for LiveBetter, what drives her, and what inspires her to remain positive even through adversity and put her best foot forward each and every day.
Background
Helen grew up in Lake Macquarie, in the NSW Hunter region and is the daughter of Dutch parents, who immigrated to Australia after the war.
“My parents were immigrants from war-torn Europe. They were very insistent that I get educated and that I work. They said, ‘Then you will always maintain your independence, you don’t have to rely upon anyone. That will enable you to have a future.’’’
So, why nursing?
“Growing up in Toronto, Lake Macquarie…it was a very tiny town in those days and to become a nurse was a legitimate way to move to Sydney, at 17, 18 years of age. My father, in particular, was a bit disappointed because he wanted me to go to university and get a law degree – which in the late seventies, was pretty unusual.”
LiveBetter
But nursing was a good choice for Helen, and she went on to have a successful and rewarding career in Health and Community Health in Sydney. When she and her husband moved to a property in Huntley, near Orange, Helen was the General Manager of St Vincents Aged Care facilities in NSW and Victoria. But the move meant she was commuting to and from Sydney – something that was unsustainable. When she saw the LiveBetter Senior Manager of Community Services position advertised she was intrigued, and never one to say no to an opportunity, she jumped at the chance to take on a role that suited her skill set and was based here in Orange.
“Throughout my career, I’ve always had the philosophy that if you are given an opportunity, you say yes – and ask questions later.”
Working in the aged care sector has meant that Helen is acutely aware of the end-of-life journey, an awareness which has over the years become a passion for supporting people at the end of life to have a ‘good death’.
When you work in aged care you see death, that’s what happens, and people that age are considering that they are coming to the end of their lives…there are less years ahead of them than there are behind them.”
“I learnt very early on that death can be good, death can be positive. We live in a society that’s fearful of death, but it is part of our life cycle, and I’ve always believed that you can have a good death. As part of that, our role is in supporting people to enable them to have that. It’s just as important as birth.”
Helen seeks inspiration from the people she works with, saying, “That’s where I get my energy. And often those who seem the most challenging, are the ones you learn the most from.”
She is also a firm believer in remaining positive and finding the best in people regardless of the situation.
“I always remember someone saying to me, ‘You are the attitude that you bring to work, and you need to think about what that attitude is.’ So, I always try to have a positive attitude, even when going through adversity.’”
“I have come to realise that bad days don’t define who you are, or what you do. It’s the adverse situations which provide you with the best opportunities, the most growth and the most ability to change.”
This year, Helen has been invited to be the International Women’s Day ambassador for the 2024 Orange Chamber Music Festival, an event that showcases international, national, and local musicians and venues around Orange and its surrounds. Helen sees this as both an honour, and an opportunity to highlight the importance of women supporting and inspiring one another, and ensuring we bring all women, of all backgrounds and abilities, along with us on the journey to gender equity.
Quick questions:
- What is the best thing about your work?
“The people.”
- What is the most challenging thing about your work?
“The people.”
- Top Tip to manage work-life balance?
“Create a priority task list for the week which includes exercise, activities outside of work, what you need to achieve at work, and it’s just like your own’ life’ calendar. Then just work through it – but don’t be too hard on yourself if you don’t tick every single box. Just be pleased that you’ve ticked some of them.”
- What keeps you going, getting up and doing it all again, each day?
“I think it’s enjoying what I’m doing, but for me, it’s also very much around the exercise. I like my yoga – it energises me.”
- Hopes for in the future?
“I hope for the growth of LiveBetter, and what we are trying to achieve.”
- If there was one piece of advice you could give to others who are starting out in the community sector, what would it be?
“Do it because you love it. Be curious. And ask lots of questions.”
