Mr Small Dusts Off His Fisherman Hat

Resthaven Onkaparinga Community Services client, Mr Robert Small, was once a keen fisherman, and with the assistance of his Home Support Worker, Natalie, he is now back in the game!

Mr Small says, "I had my own fishing boat for many years, and went out each weekend—when I retired, I could go out whenever I wanted!"

"I loved getting out onto the water, and found the activity quite peaceful."

In 2018, Mr Small required assistance to continue living independently at home, and became a client of Resthaven Onkaparinga Community Services.

"My dog, Hunter, and I, receive daily visits from Natalie for domestic services, and she also takes me to my social groups— A Few Good Men and Mystery Tours on the Resthaven mini-bus. They keep me running around, that’s for sure!"

Recently, on one of her visits, Natalie discovered his love of fishing.

Natalie says, "He started telling me about his fishing boat, and how he misses his hobby. I had a chat with his Coordinator, Jodi Brabon, about how we can incorporate fishing into his care plan, and that was that!"

Their first fishing trip together was at Mr Small’s local beach at Port Noarlunga Jetty.

"I went to the tackle shop to make sure we had the right equipment, and bait before heading off. I also packed lunch and drinks for us to break up the day."

"Robert was thrilled to catch a King George Whiting, and you couldn’t wipe the smile off his face all day!"

Since then, Natalie has set up monthly fishing trips to nearby locations. So far, the duo has gone fishing at Port Noarlunga, Brighton, and Glenelg Jetty—with no plans of stopping any time soon.

"It is wonderful that Resthaven can tailor each client’s care plan to not only meet their needs, but their individual likes and preferences. Sometimes it’s hard to believe this is my job!"

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