Community nursing: a unique kind of support for older Australians
Community nurses provide essential care outside hospital settings, supporting older Australians to age well at home through personalised, holistic nursing and strong client relationships.
February 4 marks Primary Health Care Nurses Day, recognising the essential work of more than 100,000 nurses across Australia who care for people beyond hospital walls.
For Bolton Clarke home and community support nurse Dennis Mendoza, that work involves travelling through Melbourne’s northern suburbs to deliver skilled nursing care directly to clients. Dennis is one of many Bolton Clarke nurses supporting more than 11,500 older people to remain safe and well in their own homes every day.
“The pandemic really highlighted the growing need for nurses,” Dennis said. “Being at home during that time pushed me to pursue nursing. My mum is a nurse, so I’d already seen both the challenges and rewards of the profession.”
Dennis began his career as an undergraduate nursing student, balancing work as a personal care worker while training to become a registered nurse.
“After my first year, I wanted to explore what kind of nurse I could be,” he explained. “I tried different areas of nursing, but I kept coming back to the work at Bolton Clarke – it really felt like the right fit.”
Primary Health Care Nurses Day celebrates the vital contribution nurses make in community settings, including aged care services delivered at home.
As a community nurse, Dennis supports clients in familiar surroundings, developing care plans that match their individual routines and needs.
“In my experience, community nursing takes a special type of person,” Dennis said. “You’re stepping into someone’s home, into their world, and that means you need to adapt and understand how they live so you can provide the right care.”
He believes one of the greatest parts of ageing independently is being able to appreciate everyday achievements.
“It’s the small victories – going out for coffee, visiting family – that really matter.”
Dennis says building close connections with clients is one of the greatest privileges of community nursing, allowing care to be approached in a holistic way.
“I focus on creating genuine therapeutic relationships so clients feel supported and informed,” he said. “That helps them make choices about the kind of life they want to lead.”
For Dennis, positive ageing is about recognising later life as a meaningful stage, not something defined by decline.
“Ageing isn’t just about loss,” he said. “It can be a time of growth, opportunity, and new experiences.”
