Metlifecare Laundry Q&A

Catering to the laundry needs of nine Metlifecare villages across Tamaki Makaurau, Auckland and Waikato is a big operation. To get the inside scoop, we recently caught up with Metlifecare Laundry Manager Lynn Asiata to find out what keeps the village linen looking so crisp!

What does a normal day in the laundry look like?

There’s no normal day here at the laundry. It’s always go, go, go!

We’re a seven-day-a-week operation servicing Pinesong, Papakura Oaks, Metlifecare St Andrew’s, Wilson Carlile, Edgewater, Parkside, Hibiscus Coast Village and more recently, the new care homes at Gulf Rise and The Poynton. There’s always a lot going on.

The residents are always at the heart of what we do. We’re continually adapting and responding to various needs, and whenever there are new items needed – we make it happen! Communication is always key.

From washing and drying, to folding and pressing, we’re always making sure everything is perfect before it heads out the door.

What’s the best part about working in the laundry?

Knowing that we are making a difference is what gets me up in the morning.

There are high expectations when it comes to this type of work and every day, we put in 100% to meet those expectations and when we do, it’s really satisfying.

Plus, the work we do keeps the villages looking crisp and clean!

How many people are part of the laundry team?

We’re an awesome team of 13 people and it’s all hands-on deck during busy periods too. So, it’s great that we have a group of fun, hardworking people to have a laugh with at the end of the day.

What’s the average amount of laundry (kgs) done in a day?

In one day, we will do about 820kgs of laundry. That’s about 400kgs of personal clothes and 420kgs of linen.

Over a week, that’s five and a half tonnes!

Are there any interesting stories that have come out in the laundry?

It might not be a story, but there are some interesting things that wash up here at the laundry. My favourite was when we found a set of dentures – someone’s teeth! We made sure to send them back very quickly!

Fun fact

The laundry makes a conscious effort to donate any sheets and towels that are no longer fit for purpose to the local SPCA and Salvation Army.