South Sudanese aged care worker praised for outstanding work in Greek nursing home

South Sudanese refugee and aged care worker, Koryom ‘Tut’ Nyuon has been thrust into the spotlight by his adoring fans – the elderly Greeks he cares for.  The softly spoken and shy personal carer at one of Fronditha Care’s Greek nursing homes took out the most prestigious employee accolade of the organisation this year, after being nominated by the residents and their relatives.

It’s no surprise why.

Residents break out into massive smiles when they spot him arriving for work. He greets them not with a “hello”, but a “yia sou”.

He has learnt every bit of conversational Greek he can to better understand and communicate with them.

As a towering, six-foot tall South Sudanese man, he might stick out a little in the Greek nursing home, but he has won people over with his kindness and calming nature.

“When I compare my community and the Greek community, the culture is the same because they love their family a lot and they visit them a lot,” he says.

“I consider the residents like my own mother and father, so it’s my duty to look after them.”

Despite the hardships of his formative years, Tut has devoted his life to helping others.

Fleeing his home country after the outbreak of civil war, he had to settle into numerous refugee camps as a young teenager.

But, he figured a way to cope with the uncertainty was to help others in his predicament.

He distributed food rations and essentials to thousands of fellow refugees for the UNHCR and also became a mentor to the young children of the camp.

Under the guidance of the UNHCR, he organised fortnightly programs to encourage his young peers to continue their studies.

He soon found stability after being accepted in Australia as a refugee in 2006. Given a chance to follow his own path and do whatever he desired, he nobly decided to give back to his adoptive country.

At Fronditha Care, Tut is known as “superman”.

In his nomination, family members stated that Tut “cautiously undertakes every aspect of other’s needs, from feeding the residents to talking to them calmly.”

They have also observed him making sure a resident is positioned comfortably, even if it is ‘by a centimeter’.

They say his patience is unrelenting and he radiates positivity.

For frail residents or those suffering from dementia, having Tut care for them has been hugely beneficial to their mental health and general wellbeing.

They feel secure, loved and cared for, which has also alleviated the anxiety that might come with living away from home.

Having come to Fronditha Care while he was still completing his studies, Tut decided to stay on, showing his unselfish dedication to people from every culture.

He has also broken down prejudices and stereotypes on refugees and the Sudanese African community that unfortunately still exist in the Greek community and wider Australian population, just by caring for those who need it most in such an incredible way.

Tut continues to be an ambassador for the Sudanese community and an excellent example of a former refugee excelling in Australia’s community and aged care sector.

Find out more about Fronditha Care.