We recently spoke with Muhammad, our Warrigal Hughes General Manager.

Keep reading to learn more about Muhammad’s passion for aged care, what he loves about Warrigal Hughes, and his inspiring career journey.

Meet Muhammad!

Can you tell us a little about your career journey and how you came to work in aged care?

Interestingly, I’m actually an accountant by trade. I was studying accounting when I first started working in aged care, almost 20 years ago now.

I started as a carer, and within a couple of months I was given the opportunity to become the Executive Assistant to the CEO. From there, I went on to work across a number of different areas, including finance, rostering and business management. This gave me a really good understanding of aged care from different perspectives and allowed me to learn about the organisation as I progressed.

What initially attracted me to aged care was that I’ve always had a genuine interest in people and enjoy working with them. I found that I really enjoyed the environment, the relationships and the opportunity to make a difference. So, although my original background was accounting, aged care became my career.

Over the years, I progressed into more senior leadership roles and eventually became the CEO of St Andrew’s Village. At the time of the merger between St Andrew’s Village and Warrigal, I was involved in the merger process and was fortunate to be offered the position of General Manager at Warrigal Hughes.

I’ve now been working in aged care for nearly 20 years, and I’ve seen a lot of changes in the sector during that time. It’s been a really interesting journey, and one that I’ve genuinely enjoyed.

What do you find most rewarding about working in aged care?

For me, it’s the sense of satisfaction you get from knowing that you’re helping people.

It’s not really a monetary reward. There’s something much deeper about being able to make a difference in someone’s life, whether that’s supporting a resident, working with their family, or helping our staff develop the skills and confidence they need to provide great care.

I really enjoy meeting with people, listening to families, supporting our workforce and, where I can, advocating for the aged care sector. Aged care is such an important and growing part of Australia, and I feel very fortunate to be part of an industry where the work we do has such a direct impact on people’s lives.

That sense of purpose and internal satisfaction is probably what has kept me in aged care for nearly 20 years.

You’ve been at Warrigal Hughes for more than 10 years. What makes this community so special to you?

There are probably too many things to choose from, but Warrigal Hughes is quite special to me.

Warrigal Hughes is a large community, with 177 residents, and I’ve been working at this particular site for more than 10 years. Over that time, I’ve developed a real affection for the place and the people here.

What I particularly love is the culture. We have a very diverse workforce, and while we maintain our professionalism, there is also a strong sense that we work together as a family. When something needs to be done, people pull together because ultimately we all have the same purpose – to provide the best care and experience we can for our residents.

The location is also fantastic, right in the heart of Canberra and close to Canberra Hospital. We have beautiful gardens and courtyards, single rooms with ensuites, access to fresh air and outdoor spaces, and many rooms have lovely natural light and views.

But for me, it really comes back to the people. The residents, families and staff are what make Warrigal Hughes special. After more than 10 years at this care home, I still feel very connected to this place, and my appreciation for it has only grown over the years.

What would you like families considering Warrigal Hughes to know?

My message would be that you’ll find people here who genuinely care.

Our staff put their heart and soul into what they do every day. People who choose to work in aged care are special people. It’s not an industry that everyone chooses, and I think there is something quite special about the people who dedicate themselves to caring for older people.

Our residents often tell us how much they appreciate our staff, and that means a lot to us.

Warrigal Hughes also has a lot to offer as a community. The location and care home are beautiful, with lots of gardens, courtyards and outdoor spaces, and we also have physiotherapy, a gym, activities and plenty of opportunities for residents to stay connected and involved.

But perhaps most importantly, it feels like a village. Over the years, we’ve seen friendships develop between residents, families and staff, and there is a real sense of community.

So I would encourage families to come in, have a look around, meet our people and experience Warrigal Hughes for themselves. I think you’ll see that there is a lot of care, commitment and heart here.

Explore more!

We are so lucky to have incredibly dedicated and knowledgeable team members like Muhammad.

You can learn more about Warrigal Hughes, and explore our virtual tour of the care home, by clicking the link here.