Jackie leads Hengist Field’s Recreation and Well-Being Team. She loves seeing her residents smile and making their requests and wish list come true.
Which Home(s) do you work at?
Hengist Field Care Home
When did you join Nellsar?
April 2012
What role(s) have you had during your time at Nellsar?
I started as a Chef and loved cooking homemade meals and cakes, and getting feedback from the residents and their new requests. The training I took during that role included food safety. I’m now with the Recreation and Well-Being Team and enjoy all the different activities we do.
What do you enjoy about your current role?
Making residents smile; planning and putting into action their requests – making wishes come true. I enjoy spending time with our residents, reminiscing and hearing their stories. I also love taking residents out to places they request.
What activities do your residents enjoy doing with you?
They love quizzes, cookery club, morning strolls and coffee mornings. They also enjoy arts and crafts, making cards to give to friends, and trips out to the local areas. We recently had a relaxing gong bath and also enjoy meditation from the lovely Nina.
What makes a good Recreation and Well-Being Team member?
Team work, adaptability, enthusiasm, empathy, creativity, high energy – and a little bit of craziness!
How would you describe your Home and working with your colleagues?
We work incredibly well together, it’s a great team here at Hengist Field.
What makes Nellsar a good company to work for? What’s made you stay?
Love for our residents and making them happy. I enjoy being part of the Hengist Field family and appreciate the support I get from management, especially from our Recreation and Well-Being Manager, Viv Stead. When I was sick and had to take a lot of time off work, Nellsar and my Managers were so understanding and supportive.
Have you got a favourite or funny moment about working at Nellsar that you can share?
During the first COVID lockdown, although it was a sad time we came together for our residents. We had a competition between the Nellsar Homes to make a ‘jolly trolley’ and we dressed up as Nurses and had a ‘Dr Teddy Love’ teddy at the front of our trolley. We went to all our residents’ rooms, sharing the love and singing to them – it brought lots of smiles and happiness at such a difficult time. And we won the competition! Also, a lot of our staff got together and did exercises and danced in our courtyard garden to music to entertain our residents; it was so much fun and they loved it!
What are you most looking forward to doing with your residents in future?
Anything they would like to do we can do, to make their wishes come true. I draw the line at wing walking though!
