Rowena tells us about being a Night Team Leader | Meet the team
Meet the team
We employ around 170 staff across our care homes, housing schemes and support office. With so many diverse roles, we would like to introduce you to some of our team. Just click on the roles below to find out more.
Care Assistant
Care Home Administrator
I support the Care Home Manager with all the administration at the home. This includes for example completing forms for new residents and staff, collating the residents’ activity calendar, paying invoices, helping to manage the budget, completing and submitting payroll and liaising with support services in Seaford.
I’m the first point of contact for everyone who walks through the door so I welcome friends and families of residents, doctors, nurses, tradesmen and I take care of all the telephone calls. Some of my colleagues say “I’m the glue that holds the home together!”
This is a very busy role and I have the freedom to complete my work, be with the residents and interact with staff. We’re a good team here.
Jessica at Oakwood Court care home, Haywards Heath.
Maintenance
I take care of the day to day maintenance of the building making sure all the checks have been done, including fire and gas safety and electrical testing. My role also includes tasks such as unblocking shower wells, checking light bulbs and cleaning the bins. There is generally a lot of cleaning involved and ensuring everything is in working order. I also decorate rooms when they become vacant.
I enjoy spending time talking to residents when I’m working in their rooms and supporting the care team. I may have my week planned out but sometimes my work can be very reactive, you never really know what you’re going to walk into in the morning, this is why I love working here.
I have enjoy the opportunity to do activities with residents such as gardening, indoor play and dancing. Outside of work, DIY is my main hobby.
Allan Manalo at Oakwood Court care home, Haywards Heath.
Scheme Manager
I love working with older people and hearing their life’s experiences. I enjoy enriching their golden years - making them easier and more pleasurable.
I've worked in a variety of care settings for many years. Care in the Community with profoundly physically disabled people and some with brain acquired injuries, before I started at Sussex Housing & Care.
Since working here I have been a manager at Saxonwood Care Home and then moved to become a Scheme Manager.
I enjoy providing a high standard of service to residents."
Fiona, Scheme Manager for Ashleigh Glegg House and Falfield in Seaford.
Rowena tells us about being a Night Team Leader
Our fabulous night teams support residents throughout the night. Rowena tells us about her role as a Night Team Leader at Woodlands Care Home in Crowborough...
“I’ve worked as a night care assistant for 30 years and started as a Night Team Leader at Woodlands in 2021. I originally began working night shifts because I had two young children and it meant I could come to work while their Dad looked after them. I could do the school run and then sleep and relax during the day. I’ve always been able to sleep anywhere!
I like working for Sussex Housing & Care which is a not for profit organisation, rather than a care home on its own. I had a friend who worked at Woodlands who recommended working here. It feels like a real family, we all get on and everyone is really friendly, we’re great at talking and helping out.
As a night care team leader I am responsible for giving residents their medication and leading the night team. I work alongside the care assistants to support residents to bed and make sure they have a comfortable night. We regularly check on everyone throughout the night and I also help with the laundry, cleaning and setting up ready for breakfast.
Night time can be a chatty time for some residents, it’s quiet and if residents are awake we have a good conversation and I enjoy giving them my company. We sometimes watch a film or have a cup of tea, what ever they fancy doing to help them relax and get to sleep.
It’s brilliant working nights, you can give residents comfort and reassurance and I have a really special relationship with them, it’s lovely to get to know everyone as an individual.”
If you're interested to find out about the current vacancies at Woodlands care home please click here.