5am. The alarm goes off, and my day at Greenwood begins!
By 6am, I’m at the home and ready to get everything started. My first jobs are simple but important – the kettle goes on, the curtains are opened and I pop in to see each of our residents before catching up with the team who have been looking after everyone overnight.
Those early mornings are one of my favourite parts of the day. Greenwood is wonderfully peaceful before the day really gets going, although we do have a few early risers, so there’s usually plenty happening from the moment we arrive!
There’s always a warm welcome, a cup of tea being poured and a few conversations starting around the breakfast table. We talk about what’s on the breakfast menu, what people have planned for the day and, of course, there’s usually a bit of friendly banter along the way.
Once everyone is settled, the team comes together for our morning meeting. We talk through how everyone is doing, what’s happening that day and anything we need to be aware of. That could be anything from appointments and medication to family visits, activities or simply knowing that someone might need a little extra support that day.
After our meeting, I make a point of seeing every resident myself. I like to check in with everyone and make sure they’re happy and comfortable. Sometimes someone needs a little extra help or reassurance; sometimes they simply want to tell me something that’s happened. And often, it’s those little conversations that make my day.
Before you know it, lunchtime has arrived! There might be activities taking place, family members coming to visit, appointments to organise or prospective residents and their families visiting Greenwood for the first time. I always enjoy meeting families and showing them around our home – it’s important to me that they get a real feel for Greenwood and the people who make it such a special place.
No two days are quite the same, and that’s one of the things I love about my role. There’s always something happening, someone to help, a problem to solve or a conversation to be had.
And if the sun is shining, you’ll often find us making the most of our garden. A little fresh air, a cup of tea or coffee and, naturally, a biscuit or two can make all the difference! These quieter moments are just as important as everything else we do. They’re about enjoying the day and spending time together.
As the afternoon rolls on, there are usually a few more jobs to tick off the list – checking in with the team, catching up on paperwork and making sure everything is running smoothly. But however busy the day becomes, the residents always come first.
Then, before I know it, it’s time for dinner and the evening team is arriving. I catch up with the night team and make sure everything they need to know has been passed on, so that the transition from day to night is as smooth as possible.
And then it’s time to head home – usually with a very long mental to-do list for tomorrow!
It’s busy, varied and certainly never boring – but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
For me, being a manager at Greenwood isn’t just about making sure everything runs smoothly. It’s about knowing our residents, knowing our team and being there when I’m needed. It’s about the little things – remembering how someone likes their tea, stopping for a chat, celebrating birthdays and special occasions, and making sure everyone feels listened to.
Most importantly, every day starts and ends with the same priority: making sure our residents feel happy, safe, valued and genuinely cared for.