Join us as we meet some of our amazing aged care workers.
Tony is certainly not someone you’ll forget in a hurry.
Instantly putting you at ease with his warm, empathetic, and down-to-earth character, it quickly becomes apparent why he’s flourished in aged care over the past 15 years.
Tony is a Care Facilitator with BaptistCare at home in Canberra, working with older clients to create comprehensive care plans that enable them to continue living well in the comfort of their own homes.
An influential Canberran in his own right, Tony is better known around town as the “man behind the mask” of the Canberra Raiders NRL team mascot - Victor the Viking – a role he has played for a staggering 41 years.
Tony’s community work also extends into healthcare, where he is a strong advocate for Rise Above, the cancer relief charity for Canberra and the surrounding region.
In 2021, Tony was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for his services to rugby league and to the community.
The call to aged care
Tony began his career in hospitality but, in the late 2000s, felt a call to do something outside of the box.
“I wanted to transition into work that was totally different,” he says. “Aged care spoke to me – unlike in hospitality, people are coming to you out of necessity, and I wanted to be able to brighten people’s lives in those difficult moments.”
Tony started out with BaptistCare as a Client Liaison Administration Officer, a role that saw him support families as they transitioned loved ones into residential aged care.
“I worked in that role for 13 years,” he says. “It was an amazing job. I still sometimes attend the funerals of clients I supported during that time, and I am thanked for the role I played – that’s the most wonderful recognition you can receive.”
As the organisation evolved, Tony decided to make the move into home care just two years ago.
“Home Care is similar in that you’re accompanying someone on a journey,” explains Tony. “It’s about that personal touch, building relationships. That’s the job.”
“Aged care: a giant ball of string.”
Tony says that aged care in Australia can often seem like a giant ball of tangled string.
“Older people are handed this ball, and we say, there you go – there’s all the aged care services available to you. It’s totally overwhelming,” says Tony. “Our job at BaptistCare is to help our clients untangle that ball, straighten it all out, and build a relationship in the process.”
“You’ve got to be able to walk away each day and know that you brightened someone’s day. It’s those small everyday changes that start to make a bigger difference over time.”
Forty-one years as Victor the Viking
Bringing a smile to people’s faces is an ethos that carries over into every aspect of Tony’s life.
Asked what his biggest passion was outside of work, Tony didn’t hesitate.
“It’s my two beautiful grandkids,” he gushes. “They are just one and two years old and a huge part of my life.”
Of course, the NRL is another defining feature, with Tony having served as the Canberra Raiders’ much-loved mascot, Victor the Viking, since he was 18 years old, making him the longest-serving NRL mascot in Australia.
“I was just a teenager when I got the idea for Victor,” remembers Tony.
“I’d attended a game against the Western Suburbs Magpies. We were losing, but I kept on looking at the Magpies’ mascot, and somehow, he still made me smile. I remember that game not because of what happened on the field but because of the experience the mascot gave me.
“I felt our team needed that, so I came up with Victor the Viking to bring the same lightness to our game.”
The original Victor mask was made of paper mâché, a design which didn’t last long on a rainy game day says Tony, but it was a start.
Fast-forward to today, Victor the Viking is known as an “Aussie legend” and one of the most popular sporting mascots in Australia.
Making change right across Canberra
Tony’s work in the community has also seen him play a pivotal role in bringing additional care services to Canberra.
Tony sits on the board of a community-led committee that will oversee the construction of a new six-bedroom facility to support people aged 18-59 facing chronic or terminal illness.
Yvonne Cuschieri House, named after the well-known Queanbeyan resident and founder of the Rise Above Cancer Support Group, aims to continue her legacy and vision of offering respite and support to local families in need.
“We broke the soil three months ago and the building is now underway,” Tony says proudly.
Recognised with the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM)
In January 2021, Tony was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for his services to rugby league and to the community.
BaptistCare at home’s Tony Wood poses with his family after having received the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 2021 for his services to rugby league and to the community.
“Receiving the OAM was a real shock to me,” says Tony. “You do the work you do, not to be recognised, but to bring joy to other people and a smile to people’s faces. Whether it be through the footie, my work at BaptistCare, or anything else I’m involved in with the community.”
Tony’s tip for healthy ageing?
Tony encourages older people to be themselves, ask questions, and express their emotions in a healthy way.
“Our older generations are often afraid of being a bother or making a fuss,” explains Tony. “They can hold in their fears, worries, or anxiety, and this creates a pressure cooker situation for their mental health.
“I always encourage my clients to talk about their concerns. Bottling things up can leave them feeling isolated and depressed – our role is also about helping them stay connected to their community and above all, keeping them smiling.”
