Nursing a family tradition

Nursing runs in the family for Bupa Northhaven Care Home’s clinical manager, Addlight Kurewa.
The connection began with Addlight’s late aunt, who inspired her to join the profession.

“My aunt was a hospital nurse and I really admired her empathetic and caring nature and the way she interacted with her patients,” Addlight says.

After finishing her Diploma in Registered Nursing in Zimbabwe, Addlight worked at Old Mutare Mission Hospital for 19 years. She has been working in aged care since moving to New Zealand in 2009.

She says an eight week Competence Assessment Programme, facilitated by Bupa, gave her the confidence to move into aged care.

Now the next generation of the Kurewa family is taking up nursing – Addlight’s 34-year-old daughter, Charlene is studying nursing at Manukau Institute of Technology.

Also keeping it in the family is Addlight’s husband, Andris, who is employed as the care home kitchen assistant. Addlight likes to joke that Andris doesn’t do much cooking at home after making all those meals for the residents.