Besides a looming deadline, Filimone ‘Tukai’ Rainibogi says losing his mobile phone was just the motivation he needed to complete his level 3 qualification.
The Fiji-born Wellness Partner at Masterton’s Lansdowne Park Retirement Village has recently graduated with the New Zealand Certificate in Health and Wellbeing (Level 3) (Health Assistance). Tukai started the programme in August 2017 and needed to have it completed by 31 August of this year.
“I was given more than enough time,” he laughed.
Motivated to complete his health and wellbeing qualification
‘Tukai’ Rainibogi is now a qualified healthcare worker at Lansdowne Park, Masterton.
Tukai’s biggest distraction to his studies was his mobile phone. So, when it dropped out of his car earlier this year and got lost, he said he was grateful for the push it gave him to finish his final assessments.
“I didn’t actually want to buy another phone, so I stayed for three months without one. In that time, I finished my studies and even started reading a book.
“It’s given me a gift that I had all along.”
Passionate about caring for those with dementia
Tukai has worked at Lansdowne Park for about six years now and has a particular interest in caring for residents living with dementia. When he worked as a massage therapist in Fiji, he often looked after some of the villagers who found their way to the resort.
“In Fiji, people [with dementia] live with families but they do their own thing. They could wake up in the morning, have breakfast with their family, and off they go.
“I’d tell the staff at the restaurant that whenever they come, to look for me,” he said.
Through on-job learning and with the backing of Industry Training Organisation Careerforce, Tukai has discovered so much about how to care for his residents.
“How you can travel through it with them on their level, and how to understand them and communicate with them…you learn from every individual.”
Careerforce Workplace Advisor Jo Rea said, “It has been great to watch Tukai grow in confidence as he progressed through his Level 3 studies. We have had rich conversations about the real work examples he reflected on to answer assessment questions. He certainly knows the residents he supports.”
Tukai says becoming qualified has been a big step. He’s gained so much confidence in himself that he has now enrolled in the Level 4 Health and Wellbeing – Advanced Care and Support programme and has made a quick start already.