Rita Lynch Cardinal Gilroy Village Merrylands

August 07, 2026

This Aged Care Employee Day, we celebrate Southern Cross Care’s longest‑serving employee, Rita Lynch, who next month marks 43 remarkable years with us - a milestone that speaks not only to her loyalty, but to the love, purpose and deep humanity she has poured into Merrylands’ Cardinal Gilroy Village. 

Rita was just 20 when she first walked through the village doors on September 12,1984, not yet knowing how profoundly that decision would shape her life.

At the time, she was working for the then Housing Commission, but her father- a builder at CGV - gently encouraged her to come work closer to home alongside him. He told her it would make life easier once she started a family, that he and her mum would be nearby to help, and that most importantly, she would always have a stable job. Looking back now, Rita says, “Thank God for Dad steering me towards CGV. I can’t thank him enough.”

From her very first day, Rita felt something she hadn’t expected: she belonged.

Moving from a huge government department to a small team of six, she was welcomed, respected and valued. She began as a receptionist and secretary, typing newsletters, collecting maintenance fees (around $76 a fortnight), and doing the everyday clerical work that keeps a village running.

She remembers feeling at home almost instantly - a feeling that never left.

As the years passed, her role evolved as naturally as her connection to the residents. In 2005 she became a Lifestyle Officer, later stepping into the demanding role of roster coordinator at John Woodward Residential Aged Care next door.

Through every chapter, her heart remained anchored to the people she served. She has cared for thousands over 43 years, and losing them “never gets easier,” and the toughest part. “You really do get so attached - they are my other family.”

Some memories have become part of her life story: a bus‑load of residents surprising her at her wedding, staff performing plays that filled the village with laughter, and the pride she felt when uniforms were introduced. “We were so proud to wear them. It united us in ways we couldn’t have imagined.”

Rita has watched aged care transform – the biggest change residents living longer, healthier lives. She said when she started she had never seen anybody turn close to 100, “these days they’re in our gym working out. If you’d told me that 20 years ago, I’d have said you were dreaming.”

Over the years, there have been many residents who have stood out, but Rose, now 101, has become especially dear to her. “She is a very shy lady with a beautiful heart. She taught me how to bake biscotti at 98 and has such interesting stories. While I’ve been off recovering from my hip operation, she calls me all the time to check on me. It means a lot to me, and I love her.” 

As Aged Care Employee Day approaches, Rita admits she’s heartbroken to be missing the celebrations this year while she recovers, but even from home, her thoughts are with her colleagues and the residents who have become such a big part of her life.

“Everybody knows where my heart will be on Friday” she says. “I will definitely be there with them in spirit. I honestly can't wait to get back to work and see my other family - I really do miss everybody terribly.”

For Rita, Aged Care Employee Day is not just a date on the calendar; it’s a reminder of the pride she carries every day in being part of the Southern Cross Care family.

“We should all be very proud working for SCC, not just on Aged Care Employee Day but every day,” she says.

“I am so proud of the reputation we have built and reflecting on the past 43 years am so thankful for the opportunity.”