Pam's purpose in retirement is to help others

Bedford Heights Estate resident Pam Redcliffe has over 30 years of experience as a hospital volunteer visiting people nearing the end of life, and she still loves it to this day.

“It’s the love of walking into a patient's room who is near end of life and still thinking ‘how can I make your day better today’, or if they’re not conscious, thinking ‘what can we do for the family who have possibly sat there day after day after day’,” Pam said.

“I love making people laugh, even if it’s at my expense, palliative care doesn’t have to be sad.”

Pam thinks her desire to help other people comes from her father.

“I remember him bringing a homeless man home on boxing day for a meal and if we went for a walk, he wouldn’t give them money, but he would say do you want a sandwich or a coffee or something,” she said.

“I’ve always wanted to do for others. Doing things for other people brings you joy that you can’t really explain.”

Pam also “lives by faith” and is involved in volunteer roles at her church that bring her joy.

She met her husband Alan at church, and this year they will be celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary.

It was through the Heathmont Baptist Church that Pam began visiting people in hospital, after 15 years she moved and began volunteering at Knox Private Hospital until their volunteer program was closed and Pam decided to volunteer at Wantirna Health.

She soon became the Volunteer Team Leader in the Palliative Care ward, and a number of times has been in newspapers and on radio raising the profile of palliative care.

In a unique experience, Pam also appeared in a Bollywood movie aimed at encouraging women in abusive relationships to ask for help, after she was asked by an Indian palliative care doctor to play the doctor’s receptionist.

In her working life Pam also searched for a job where she could serve others, beginning in hairdressing, then working for the supermarket Coles - where she had the rare experience of serving Mrs Coles and Lady Coles.

She tried her hand at working in sterilisation at the hospital but quickly was bored, then she ran a bookshop, worked as a teacher’s assistant in a kindergarten and finally found her place managing an op shop, where she stayed for nearly 20 years.

Retirement came at the perfect time for Pam, as she and Alan went interstate to care for Alan’s parents.

“I have retired from getting paid but I haven’t retired from doing,” Pam explained.

“Knowing I had plenty to do, it wasn't scary at all.”

A sense of purpose has been obvious in everything that Pam commits her time to.

She said, “I suppose some people have a purpose of getting up in the morning and going to work and earning money and although we’re not flush with funds, money is not my purpose.”

“My purpose is doing, helping, getting up and going today I know I can do this for someone.”