Meet our care team: Denise tells us why she loves to care

The 7^th to the 13^th of June is Carers Week. We are taking the opportunity to thank our amazing care teams and learn more about working in a care home.  We asked Denise Maskell, a member of the care team at The Grange Care Home in Saffron Walden to tell us more about her role and why she loves being a Carer.

What does a normal day for a Carer at Country Court look like?

There isn’t a normal day! Every day there’s different tasks to do and people to look after. When we first come in, we have a ‘handover’ from the night staff. We then do a walk round all the rooms to see who’s up and then we start the personal care.

Why were you interested in becoming a Carer?

I’ve always wanted to do it, so I decided to do community care which I really enjoyed. I then had my children so I left to spend time with them. At the start of the first lockdown I was at home and wanted to get back into care, to help the ones that were most vulnerable in lockdown. My nan suggested that I get back into caring again, so I started working at the Grange.

Have you worked in similar roles previously?

I worked in Caring in the Community about 20 years ago and then changed to House Cleaning. I then started working at The Grange in April of last year. Community Care was a much smaller scale of care, whereas at The Grange we have lots of residents. 

What makes you good at your job?

You have to have a lot of patience and compassion for the residents. You have to love your job and be a good listener. You have to be really attentive and pick up on when residents aren’t doing well.

What’s the best thing about being a Carer?

I just love looking after the residents. I love building relationships with them and making them smile every day. It’s a great feeling to know that you’re helping them, you’re like their second family.

What challenges have you faced and what’s changed since Covid-19?

It’s a lot faster-paced now, with all the extra rules and cleaning that have to be followed. It was challenging during the lockdowns to keep the residents entertained, but its great that they can now see their families again and enjoy more entertainment.  

Thank you Denise, it’s great to hear how much you love being a carer. To find out more about life at The Grange Care Home click here. If you are interested in working in a care home, click here to find out more.