Meet Joy
From Carer to General Manager
Joy Ann's Career Journey at Bupa Aged Care
When Joy Ann first joined Bupa Aged Care in 2015, she wasn't stepping into a leadership role. She was supporting residents as a carer at Bupa Bankstown, helping with everyday care and getting to know the people who called the care home, home. Looking back, it's a role she still reflects on fondly.
"It was my first experience working in aged care," Joy says. "Being the first point of contact for residents and delivering their daily care was incredibly meaningful."
More than a decade later, Joy is now the General Manager of Bupa Queens Park, leading a care home community while continuing to advocate for the residents, families and teams she works alongside every day. Her story is a powerful reminder that careers in aged care can grow in unexpected and rewarding ways.
Starting with purpose
For many people working in aged care, career progression doesn't begin with a long-term plan. It begins with a desire to help others.
That was certainly true for Joy.
As a carer, she built relationships with residents and became part of their daily lives. It was an experience that shaped her understanding of what quality care really means and laid the foundation for everything that followed. The role wasn't simply about completing tasks. It was about creating meaningful moments, building trust and helping people maintain their quality of life.
Those early experiences gave Joy valuable insight into resident care, but they also sparked an interest in understanding the broader workings of a care home.
Discovering new opportunities
After her time as a carer, Joy moved into a Customer Service Consultant role. The transition offered a different perspective on aged care, bringing her closer to residents' families and helping her build a deeper understanding of the operational side of the business. Because she already knew many of the residents and families, the move felt natural.
"It was a smooth transition," Joy explains, allowing her to strengthen her customer service skills while gaining a wider view of how a care home supports residents, families and team members every day.
For candidates exploring a future in aged care, Joy's story highlights something often overlooked: career development isn't always a straight line. Sometimes the next step isn't moving up. It's moving sideways, learning something new and broadening your perspective.
Growing through experience
Joy's next opportunity saw her step into a Business Administrator role, where she spent almost four years developing her operational and leadership capabilities.
During that time, she was also given opportunities to act as General Manager, experiences that strengthened her confidence and helped her develop skills across people leadership, resident care and care home operations.
It is these moments that often define career growth; not titles, but trust. The opportunity to step into new situations, learn through experience and discover strengths you might not have known you had.
Those experiences ultimately led to Joy's appointment as Assistant General Manager at Bupa Bankstown, before taking on the General Manager role at Bupa Queens Park in March 2025.
Staying connected to what matters
Despite the progression, Joy hasn't lost sight of what attracted her to aged care in the first place.
Ask her what she enjoys most about her role and the answer isn't about leadership positions or career milestones.
"The most rewarding part of my role is the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on the lives of our residents, their families and my team," she says.
One experience that stands out is leading a reflective group for residents. Through conversation, connection and shared moments of reflection, Joy has been able to support residents in ways that complement the clinical and physical care they receive.
For her, it's an opportunity to build deeper relationships and contribute to residents' overall wellbeing; something she describes as bringing her immense joy.
A career that keeps evolving
Alongside her professional experience, Joy has continued investing in her own development. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Commerce, a Master's in Public Administration, a Certificate in Aged Care and is studying a Bachelor of Theology.
Her commitment to learning reflects a mindset shared by many people across Bupa: staying curious, continuing to grow and remaining open to what's possible next.
When asked about her journey so far, Joy doesn't focus solely on the promotions or achievements.
Instead, she talks about gratitude.
She speaks about the opportunities she's been given, the people she's met along the way and the deeper understanding she's developed about delivering great care. Most importantly, she reflects on the trust residents place in the people who care for them every day.
More than a job
Joy's story is one example of the many different career journeys that exist across Bupa Aged Care.
Some people join as carers. Others begin in hospitality, administration, nursing or customer service roles. What connects them is the opportunity to make a difference while continuing to grow.
Because when you're helping people live longer, healthier and happier lives, every day brings an opportunity to learn something new, build meaningful relationships and create an impact that matters.