#FromTheHeart - The Story of Barbara Jones

#FromTheHeart – The Story of Barbara Jones

Image of Barbara Jones - Senior Care Assistant

This month, we are focusing on showcasing the passion and heart of our staff. and WHY they love to work in social care. Through this campaign, we want to highlight the personal stories and motivations of those who work in social care, demonstrating the impact they make in people’s lives and the change they make every single day.

We took ourselves down to one of our Extra Care Schemes, Hallwood Court, to speak to Barbara Jones, one of our long-service staff members and incredible Senior Carers. Barbara has been working at Hallwood Court for over 36 years, so we wanted to hear all about her incredible story. Working in any career for over 36 years is an incredible achievement in itself, but working in the care sector and providing expert care for 36+ years is something to be incredibly proud of.

So, we sat down with Barbara and asked her a few questions about her time at Hallwood Court and working in social care, from 36 years to now. Here is what she had to say:

What made you want to start in care work? How did you start your career?

“After going through a divorce, I wanted to make a change in my life and do something completely different. I walked past Hallwood Court one day, 36 years ago, and decided to go right in, and ask if they had any vacancies available. So, I went in, done the interview and was told she received the job. I have been there ever since. I was unsure what to expect, but it is one of the best things I have ever done. “

What is the biggest change you have seen since you started as a Care Assistant?

“I have seen a number of changes since she started in care over 36 years ago, and all for the better. I first started in the old Hallwood Court building, which was residential care. I then assisted with moving residents to the new Hallwood Court building which was independent living. This took a lot of work, as we had 14 service users with many who were frail and elderly that we had to move into a new home. The change was especially hard for them as they had moved into a completely new environment that they weren’t used to. However, this meant that they were not sharing with several other services users, and had their own privacy with their own fully equipped flats. This was a change for the better, as this meant the service users had more independence and were able to maintain better privacy.”

What is the most rewarding part of the role?

“A lady came in a couple of years ago, who had moved to Hallwood Court to live closer to her son. When she first arrived, she was very closed in on herself and barricaded herself in – she wouldn’t speak to anyone. Eventually, she started to become more and more like herself. Getting herself dressed up, going to the shops, and socialising with the other residents. A similar thing happened with another one of our service users – when he first came to the extra care scheme, he was very secluded and didn’t want to come out of his room at all. After a week, he had completely changed and become a brand new person, socialising with all the residents. I think that is the most rewarding part of my role, is seeing the service users gain back their independence and become better versions of themselves. It is so lovely to see them become happier within themselves with our help in the service. I have also cared for a number of service users over the age of 100, and helping them to maintain their independence has been so incredibly rewarding, especially at that age. I have also received a multitude of compliments over the years, and I think that is due to my rapport with the service users. I have cared for some of the service users for years, so they (and their family members) know me well. That is one of the most important factors within care – building a good rapport with the service users to ensure you are providing them with the best care possible. Some of the service users and their family members have sent me cards, flowers etc over the years as appreciation for the work and the rest of my colleagues do.”

What is the main reason you have stayed working in the care sector for so many (36) years?

“I love my job. It is as simple as that and I wouldn’t have stayed in the care sector for so long if I didn’t love my job. I don’t wake up every morning dreading the day ahead – I am pleased to come to work. I also think that working with a good team helps a lot; by having a team who are always willing to help out wherever they can, it helps make everybody else’s job that little bit easier.

My ultimate goal is to give back to the community and to help others, and to give. I was in a difficult place when I first came into the care sector, and it has brought me out of a bad place and gave ME back my independence. Now that I am thinking about it, whilst I have been helping others, this job has helped me at the same time. It is one of the best things I have ever done, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

We think this is an absolutely exceptional example of the hard work our care team provide in the community and within our Extra Care Schemes – if you know Barbara, you will know that she is one of the nicest Care Assistants that you will ever meet. You can be comfortable knowing that she provides excellent service. Often, she even sticks around at the end of the shift to assist with the rest of the team – this just shows how she goes above and beyond her role every single day.

We would also like to thank Barbara for sitting down with ourselves and sharing her incredible story – it was an absolute pleasure to listen to her story from when she first started in social care.