Before taking over managing Ross Home in 2000, Mrs Pearce had enjoyed a long and successful career as a nurse and health manager, which began in 1972 when she undertook nursing training at Oamaru Hospital.
From there, she worked in the medical intensive care unit at Dunedin Hospital, moved to Scotland to the Perth Royal Infirmary, and returned to Oamaru to take up a public health nursing job.
"You had to be a generalist to take on that work — from infant welfare to working with the elderly, all of which has stood me in good stead over the years," Mrs Pearce said.
She undertook further training and remained in the public health nursing field until she moved into a senior licensing role with the Ministry of Health relating to rest-homes and hospitals, and later worked in contracting homes for people with disabilities.
After time spent in the United States, studying systems for rest-homes and community health, she returned to complete an investigation and "made myself redundant through my recommendations".
This heralded a move in a new direction as a relieving rest-home manager, before taking up the Ross Home manager role with Presbyterian Support Otago (PSO), under chief executive Gillian Bremner.
"I knew that PSO had good systems, policies and procedures, so it was a good fit for me."
When she first started at Ross Home, the facility was run down and needed urgent upgrading, so she quickly set to work — with the support of the PSO board — to embark on a $10 million redevelopment.
"Over the time I have been at Ross Home, we have spent about $17m on the buildings — which is money well spent, as it is a great facility."
Ross Home has retained a 124-bed capacity throughout much of its history, and has 40 rest-home residents and 84 residents needing hospital-level care, as well as 10 independent living cottages.
Two years ago, Ross Home underwent further change, after PSO chose not to continue with dementia care.
This resulted in the redevelopment of the unit into the hospital-level Macara Unit.
Mrs Pearce said the social life of the home was of great importance to residents and staff, and there were regular events and celebrations of important national and international events. Many of these important occasions and the long history of Ross Home itself are commemorated on the walls and at special times.
"We have a shawl here that is believed to have been given to the women of Dunedin at the time of the New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition in 1926. It comes out when a resident turns 100, which is lovely," she said.
Another special thing was the long relationship between Ross Home and the Royal Dunedin Male Choir, which has performed a Christmas concert there for the past 96 years.
"That is a very special event for us each year."
Mrs Pearce paid tribute to the 186 Ross Home staff, many of whom have cared for the residents for many years — some as long as 40 or 50 years.
"Our staff are the heart of the home and really work hard to provide a good quality of life for our older people — it is a real team effort," she said.
Mrs Pearce’s own daughter Sarah Pearce began working in the kitchen at Ross Home at the age of 14 years, and still works at the home — now in a nursing role — 19 years later.
Son Mason Pearce trained as a chef and worked in the kitchen at Ross Home for a time. He now works as a mechanic.
Mrs Pearce said it was a special experience to work with residents at the home.
"The residents are really cool, we have some lovely people here and some real characters, which make this a wonderful place to be.
It is amazing how well everyone gets on together, and it is important for our residents to maintain a homely atmosphere."
The 10 resident cats and a couple of small dogs, who have arrived at Ross Home with residents, definitely help with that.
In retirement, Mrs Pearce plans to spend more time with husband Tony, a retired mechanic who has been "very tolerant for over 50 years".
She is also looking forward to enjoying time with her family.
