I’m an experienced home manager – my first care management role was in 2005 in a London home. I joined Care UK in 2017 because I wanted to work in an innovative care organisation. 

I think a good home manager should be approachable and have a passion for caring for older people: the best part of my working day is interacting with residents. I’m also passionate about developing and leading the team at Whitebourne to achieve our aims of becoming a CQC-rated ‘outstanding’ care home. 

In my spare time I like going to the gym, and I manage Surrey Intermediate football team. I also get out for a walk on the coast when I can.

I started at Whitebourne aged 18 – I worked on Saturdays. More than 8 years later I’m still here. I care passionately about the residents of the home. The best thing is the day-to-day interactions I have with them and their relatives.

I’ve learnt so much since I started out, and being promoted to my current role was amazing recognition of where I’ve got to in my career. There’s always plenty to do and a lot going on here. Right now there are some exciting changes happening here, including the creation of a new reminiscence room and a new activities room. We’re always working to improve the home and the care we provide, to deliver the best to residents.

I was a healthcare assistant at Frimley Park Hospital before I joined Care UK in 2011. I wanted to better myself, and Care UK has a reputation for developing and supporting its people. It was a huge career highlight to become deputy manager here at Whitebourne. 

The best part of my day is supporting and chatting to the residents. We have a good team here too, and I enjoy working with colleagues to deliver the best care. There’s always plenty to do – we’re focused on constantly driving improvements.

Outside of work I enjoy spending time with my family, and walking our dog. I also love music.

I used to work in the community as a care assistant, but applied to join Whitebourne because I fancied a change and I wanted to work in a care home. I joined the home in 2017. 

I help to plan and organise activities such as Revitalyz exercise classes, arts and crafts, film afternoons and pamper sessions. Residents always have something to look forward to each day. Recently we’ve had visits from the donkeys, rabbits and guinea pigs from a local farm!

I love seeing residents smiling and laughing as a result of the activities we do with them. And I – like the rest of the team – was very pleased when we recently gained a ‘good’ rating from the CQC. The CQC inspector specifically mentioned in their report about how we provide residents with a multitude of activities to take part in, and they praised us for the innovative ways we make residents’ wishes come true. I was very proud to read that!

My previous roles have been in education, wildlife and conservation. However, I wanted to work with older people after volunteering for Age Concern. I enjoyed making a difference to older people’s lives, and I wanted to do it on a permanent basis. I joined Care UK in 2017. It’s been exciting and daunting to move sectors. The main challenge has been getting used to the procedures and all the abbreviations of ‘care speak’! To be effective as a lifestyle coordinator you need to be a caring person, and you need lots of innovative ideas and enthusiasm. What’s great is that your hard work gets an instant return when you see residents smiling and enjoying an activity. There’s nothing better than being able to make a difference to people’s lives. 

I’ve been the administrator here at Whitebourne since 2009 – a role combining administration with care was ideal for me. I just love my job; I’m a very sociable person and this role is great for someone who likes meeting people, who is helpful, adaptable and patient. I always look forward to each day, and the interactions with residents and their loved ones. 

We have around 70 colleagues who work at Whitebourne, and we work well together. Helping to coordinate their work is a challenge and a highlight of my role.