Meet Care With Dignity & Co Founder, Karen Thomas

Care With Dignity & Co founder and director Karen Thomas has lived and breathed taking care of those most vulnerable for the best part of a decade. A qualified nurse and care manager, Karen would describe her career as “a calling”. She says “I’ve always been attracted to the prospect of doing work that helps people and makes a difference in my local community.”

Finding time in Karen’s busy schedule, we sat down with her to learn more about her career, her journey, passions and goals for Care With Dignity & Co.

Why did you start Care With Dignity & Co?

After working extensively in senior management and clinical care across the aged and disability sectors, I decided to start Care With Dignity & Co to raise the level of care provided to our most vulnerable communities.  

In my line of work, I was seeing too many cookie-cutter care plans and a ‘one size fits all’ approach being adopted to care and disability services. 

I made the decision to create change by going out on my own and hence, Care With Dignity & Co was born.

What did you do before Care With Dignity & Co?

Before starting Care With Dignity & Co, I worked as an endorsed enrolled nurse for over a decade in aged care, in-home care and disability services. I worked on the floor providing care and nursing services from the most basic to the most complex of needs in ageing and disability. 

It’s my passion and I’m so thrilled that I can bring my experience to Care With Dignity & Co and uplift the standard of care provided to the most vulnerable in our community.

What inspired you to become a nurse?

I would say nursing for me was a calling. I’ve always been attracted to the prospect of doing work that helps people and makes a difference in my local community. 

Each and every day I have the ability to leave a positive mark on someone’s life - there are not many other jobs that can say that!

What goals do you have for Care With Dignity & Co?

Without a doubt, my goals for Care With Dignity & Co have absolutely everything to do with raising the level of care for our vulnerable communities in Melbourne’s southeastern suburbs. 

Born and raised in Cranbourne, I’m passionate about my local community and couldn’t think of a better place to start my home care/disability agency.

What motivates you?

I’m incredibly motivated by my innate desire to help the people around me. As I touched on earlier, my career in nursing and disability services feels like a calling rather than something I actively sought out. 

Seeing day in and day out the positive impact I have on my clients and the difference I make in their lives gives me the spring in my step to jump out of bed every morning and do what I do.

What do you do outside of work?

As you can imagine, as a small business owner there isn’t a lot of free time, but when I do get the opportunity to slow down, you’ll find me spending time with my daughter and on the odd occasion, flying up to Sydney to visit my son. 

Health and well-being is also a key priority in my life, so you’ll also find me in the kitchen or at a group fitness class.

What are you passionate about?

Where to begin? As a proud parent to two adult children, I couldn’t be more passionate about being a mum! Second to that - my work in aged and disability services. 

What links the two is a passion for caregiving and it’s my greatest joy.

How is Care With Dignity & Co different from other service providers?

I’m a big believer in collaboration over competition however there are three key differences that separate Care With Dignity & Co from the rest.

Firstly, we’re nurse owned and operated.

Secondly, we specialise in complex care and in-home nursing services for both the aged and those living with a disability.

Lastly, we’re local area specialists who only service Melbourne’s southeastern suburbs.

What has been your greatest struggle and greatest achievement?

My greatest struggle would’ve definitely been raising my two children whilst working full-time as a single parent. But looking back, it’s by far my greatest achievement and the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done.

Want to learn more about Care With Dignity & Co? Visit our about page and be sure to check out Care Hub.