Bickerton House

I qualified as a Registered Mental Health Nurse in 1994 and I have 25 years of nursing experience. I decided to work at Care UK because I was very drawn to its ethos of ‘Fulfilling lives’. I visited different Care UK homes before I started working for the organisation, and you could really see and feel this philosophy. I got a genuine sense of the quality of care that Care UK delivers. 

I enjoy any chance I get to spend time one-to-one with a resident, learning about their life and some new detail. It’s a great way of developing their trust in you, and it ensures that we’re delivering person-centred care that’s tailored to their interests and needs. 

I’ve been working in health and social care for over 20 years. I’ve been working in health and social care for over 20 years and have worked in a hospital on acute medical wards. I’ve also managed care services, including supported living services, but I was keen to work in a care home again. I started my career working in older people’s care and I felt the time was right to return. I was also keen to work for Care UK as it has a great reputation.

I love the ‘whole home approach’ that we have at Bickerton House. Everyone works hard to ensure that residents have everything they need. We always go the extra mile for the wonderful people we care for.

The best time of the day is whenever I get the chance to chat to the residents. That might be having a cup of tea with them in the café, or sitting with them at lunchtime and finding out what they’ve been doing. If everyone’s happy and enjoying themselves, we know we’re doing things right. 

In this role it’s important to be receptive to residents’ needs, and to respond quickly to feedback and make any changes to a person’s diet in liaison with the nursing team. Much like in a leading hotel or restaurant, presentation is everything at Bickerton House, and one of the best parts of the day is setting up the café in the morning. There’s a great selection of delicious food on display, ready for residents and their visitors to enjoy.

I’m enjoying getting to know the residents, their families and my colleagues, and making sure that my team and I are always serving up delicious and nutritious dishes that residents love.

I joined the Bickerton House team as a member of the Housekeeping team, but I asked if I could be more involved in the activities side of things. I quickly proved myself to be creative and innovative, which are ideal qualities for this role, so I soon moved to the team on a permanent basis.

I love our group activities where lots of the residents take part. It’s wonderful to see their smiles and see them trying new things or rediscovering past hobbies. I always aim to make each person feel special and have a great experience, whether it’s organising something special for a person’s birthday or even organising a Christmas ‘Zoom’ party during the pandemic.

I’ve trained as a Namaste Care Practitioner with Care UK so I can deliver meaningful sensory experiences to residents living with advanced dementia. In this role, like any care role, it’s all about focusing on what’s possible, and thinking ‘outside the box’, rather than focusing on obstacles or barriers.

I joined the Bickerton House team in 2019, having worked for another care provider as the Business Manager of a Wokingham care home. I was keen to move my career to Care UK because it’s a good company, known for taking care of residents and colleagues.

It’s very exciting to be part of a new team, getting to know the residents and the systems used by Care UK. There’s a lot to do. I’ve run my own business tutoring people in Spanish, so I like a challenge!

It’s important to be customer focused, organised, patient and methodical in this role. I get a buzz out of organising and completing tasks, and supporting residents and my colleagues in any way I can. 

I spent 25 years working in catering in Kitchen Assistant and then Hospitality Manager roles before moving to Bickerton House as Head Housekeeper in 2019. It was time for a change and a new challenge. There’s been a lot to get to grips with – tackling computer systems – but I’ve got there in the end!

I enjoy being busy, and there’s always plenty going on at Bickerton House. I enjoy chatting to residents and the families and getting to know their preferences and what’s important to them, and I’m looking forward to getting to know new residents as they join us.

This is residents’ home, so we strive to ensure everything is as they would want it. Being friendly, patient and polite is all-important in helping people to settle and forming a bond with them. Having a good eye for detail is key too, because it’s the details that matter.

I was in the Armed Forces for 35 years, and spent the last decade working in maintenance in a high end apartment block in London. I joined Care UK because I fancied a change and the company’s values chimed with me.

One of my favourite aspects of my role is helping residents to settle in and feel at home by helping them to personalise their rooms however they wish. Their room is their own personal space and they’ll often bring pieces of furniture and pictures from home. We’ll work together to find the perfect place for everything, so it’s just right.

Bickerton House is our residents’ home, so it’s important to take pride in how it looks. I have a very precise attention to detail – that’s something being in the Forces teaches you. I aim to spot anything that needs doing, and make sure it’s sorted before anyone else notices it.