A Life Full of Resilience and Hard Work

With National Volunteer Week coming up from 17-23 May 2021, Mrs Patricia McAlinden of Resthaven Mitcham shares her story of resilience and hard work – including a thirty-one-year volunteer career. 

Born on 15 December 1930 in Plymouth, Devon, one of eight children, she says, "In my early years, I spent some time living away from home, as Plymouth and its naval dockyard were being bombed during World War II."

"When I was old enough, I served in the Land Army in England between 1948 and 1949, where I met my husband Sidney."

Soon after returning from their service, Mr and Mrs McAlinden married in February 1952.

They spent many of those first years together apart, as Mr McAlinden began working overseas in the Royal Marines.

After bearing three children and living in England and Singapore, the family relocated to Adelaide, Australia in 1971 – where they stayed.

"I waited for my children to all be in school before returning to the workforce, where I first gained employment at Commercial Union Insurance, and then later at Medibank Private, before retiring in 1987."

"I have always found a lot of fulfilment through hard work and didn’t want retirement to mean the end of that for me."

Once Mr and Mrs McAlinden retired, they made the move to Strathalbyn, where Mrs McAlinden found her passion through volunteering.

"I ended up spending nineteen years volunteering with the Strathalbyn Day Care and thirty-one years volunteering with the Strathalbyn Hospital. This remains a proud achievement of mine."

Through her long years of committed work, Mrs McAlinden was awarded Strathalbyn Citizen of the Year in 2013 as part of the Australia Day Awards (pictured).

"Being awarded Citizen of the Year is an honour that you never forget! It is a reminder of the meaningful life I have lived, which I look back on fondly."

Congratulations on a life of hard work and service, Mrs McAlinden! 

Every day, Resthaven shares the lives and wisdom of older people and their carers, being one of only a select few aged care providers in Australia offering the full range of aged care service options.

A not-for-profit, South Australian aged care community service associated with the Uniting Church, Resthaven’s residential and in-home care and support options are offered throughout metropolitan Adelaide, the Adelaide Hills, Murraylands, Riverland, Barossa, Fleurieu Peninsula and the Limestone Coast.