Lifelong farmer embraces social side of new role at Grampians Health Edenhope
After three and a half decades of farming, Sam Shepherd was ready for a change.
He once thrived on working out in the elements, sitting in a tractor cab or sweating it out in the woolshed.
“I met a lot of magnificent people in the farming industry but I was ready to try something new,” he said.
Surprisingly Sam finds his new role, as a Grampians Health Edenhope hotel services assistant, more physically demanding.
“I probably work harder in here, you’re always on your feet and only sit down when it’s smokeo,” he said.
“Getting up at 5.30am has been the hardest bit; people think farmers get up early but I never went crutching at 5.30am!”
It’s the social side of his new role, delivering meals and cleaning residents’ rooms, that Sam finds most rewarding.
“Someone said to me, and it’s so true, you can make this job as happy as you want it to be,” he said.
“I’m not obligated to talk to people but it makes it enjoyable, getting residents’ stories and building rapport.”
It was only through sharing yarns that Sam discovered connections with many of the residents.
“I grew up in Adelaide but have been around here most of my life, mainly at Minimay,” he said.
“There’s a lady in here that used to drive me to scouts when I was 11 years old and I shore alpacas for one of the other guys.”
And although he “doesn’t miss any of it”, Sam still enjoys his taste of the farm life.
“We’ve got 17 acres so I’m lamb-marking this weekend and feeding four pet lambs at the moment,” he said.
“By the time you do a bit of wood and get the dogs and sheep sorted, that keeps me busy enough.”
Sam can be seen moving between the acute ward and Lakeside Living care facility, with imminent plans to learn the ropes in the kitchen.
