Marking International Women's Day

On March 8, we will be taking time to mark International Women’s Day, a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women.

Here at OCAV, we are very aware of how discrimination has affected many of our women residents through their lives. They have, for instance, earned far less than the men in their lives, accumulated far less superannuation – because they have been paid less and interrupted careers to have children. Many have faced violence or have been excluded from essential services because of their sexuality.

Nevertheless, we are constantly reminded that these barriers have not held our women residents, staff or volunteers back. Nor has it stopped them from speaking out to ensure that younger women do not fall at the same hurdles they did.

In this newsletter, you will read the wisdom about housing that Kathleen Abram has imparted to a major research project being run by the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation; how Iren Miskolczy at the age of 88 learned to use the Internet; the contribution that Estelle de Boshier, a remarkable former dancer and OCAV resident, made through a bequest to Liscombe House, and many more stories.

Each of these stories highlight the impact that our women residents, staff and volunteers make to each other and the wider community, regardless of their age and stage in life.

OCAV, too, works hard to provide services and leadership that benefit all our residents. For instance, our wellbeing program at Liscombe House offers a variety of activities codesigned with residents that meet their needs, and more.

While many activities bring both men and women together, we are mindful of the very different interests that women and men have, and that we have a high concentration of women residents in Liscombe House. Our arts and music therapy programs appeal more to the 60 women living in the aged care home than the 20 men, who have their own fortnightly program. This person-centric approach underpins the OCAV commitment to ensuring all our residents age well.

It should come as no surprise to learn that most of our staff and volunteers are women. This mirrors the gender concentration in the aged care and retirement industry, and in the volunteer sector as well.

Each contributes to driving social change for women, pressing for progress wherever they can, especially around ageist attitudes, affordable housing, an end to elder abuse and other issues affecting women.

At the same time, we acknowledge the extraordinary support and determination from the men in the OCAV world to create a better-balanced world. Together, we strive for a fairer future, and for genuine reform.

So, happy International Women’s Day to all the OCAV women. You deserve it. Let’s celebrate our gains, our achievements but let us continue throwing our efforts into the unfinished business.

Mandy Williamson,
Lifestyle Coordinator