You are viewing 1 of your 1 free articles
From the frontline – care home manager Vicky Cruxton
Vicky Cruxton manages Sanctuary Care’s Breme Residential Care Home in Bromsgrove. She tells Inside Housing about her journey to the role from a care assistant, and why she thinks nursery education should be free
Tell us about your job.
I am the manager at Sanctuary Care’s Breme Residential Care Home in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire.
How did you get into care?
A friend who worked in a care home suggested looking at a position in the care sector and it went from there. On one shift I confided in a colleague that I didn’t feel I was right for the job but she provided me with the reassurances that I had the perfect personality for working in a home. Now, 15 years on, I am manager at the same home where I started as a care assistant.
What’s the most rewarding part of your job?
The best part is being able to make a difference and enrich residents’ lives through delivering quality care. One resident, who uses a wheelchair, wanted to go ice skating and so we were able to arrange for 10 residents to visit the local ice rink and use their wheelchairs on the ice. Both staff and residents had so much fun and it has helped create a closer bond between us all. It’s moments like this that provide the biggest reward – seeing the happiness on residents’ faces and knowing as a team we have contributed to that.
READ MORE
What’s the worst part?
I feel that everyone in the home is part of my family and so to see residents ill or struggling is difficult.
What would your superpower be?
My superpower would be speed. There never seem to be enough hours in the day. It would be nice to be able to spend even more time with residents. It’s amazing to hear their stories and know you’re playing such an important part in their lives.
What would you change in the care sector?
I would like training to be made available to friends and families of residents living in a care home. I think it is important that they have an understanding of the work we do, how a care home operates and of illnesses such as dementia.
If you could be prime minister for the day, what would you do?
Provide free nursery education to all children. There are so many men and women who struggle with childcare and it would be nice for everyone with children to be given the opportunity to be able to work if they wanted to.
What’s the most private thing you’d be willing to admit to colleagues?
My colleagues know that I love The Greatest Showman and at Christmas they put the soundtrack on and got our residents to sing to me.
Nominate a housing professional for From the Frontline
Do you know an outstanding housing professional who deserves to be featured in From the Frontline? Perhaps they are working in new ways or are dedicated, unsung heroes doing good work.
Email jess.mccabe@insidehousing.co.uk with your suggestions.
