Jacqui at Heatherdene: “I went into care by accident, really!”

Read the short bio about Jacqui Ripley, Healthcare Assistant at Heatherdene Nursing Home in Bexhill. Jacqui, aged 80, will be leaving this month after a whopping 39 years at the home. Everyone at the home would like to wish her the very best! We had a little chat with Jacqui to find out more about her and her incredible career in care:

How did you go into the care sector?

I went into care by accident, really! Initially, I worked in Regent Street London for 15 years. After I moved to Bexhill, I got married and had three children. When my youngest was three, I started looking for part-time work. I got a job in care at Three Chimneys just for Saturday afternoons and Sunday mornings.

One of the RGNs there mentioned her sister-in-law was opening a nursing home. And she thought it would be a fit for me! That home was Heatherdene Nursing Home! And that was back in April 1986! At that time, it only had 12 residents. As time went on, I took on more hours as my children were at school.

What’s special about Heatherdene?

During my time at Heatherdene Nursing Home, I loved watching the home’s magic start to work on new residents. On arrival, they would come in anxious and a little hesitant. But after a dose of good food and good care, the kindness, professionalism and companionship from the care team would shine through! Heatherdene is not a big home and it’s spotlessly clean and welcoming.

What advice would you give to new or current staff?

I just want to say the staff are fantastic! I always felt we were a family and you could rely on each other for help if needed. Lots of them have stayed and worked for 5 years plus at Heatherdene. The staff are the backbone of Heatherdene. And Beena, our amazing manager, is strict but always fair.

"I loved watching the home's magic start to work on new residents. They would come in anxious and a little hesitant... but after a dose of good food and good care, the kindness, professionalism and companionship from the care team would shine through."

Is there anyone in the home you’d like to mention?

I would like to mention Shaun, Lynn, Harriet, Veronica especially! Shimmy, in the kitchen, makes a stonking cauliflower cheese! And our Registered General Nurse, Marion Stevens, always listens when you flag someone up as being under par.

Tell us about you.

I have five grandchildren, and I like to read and I sew. My dog, Benson, keeps me on my toes! And I had a lovely surprise 80th birthday party and was truly spoilt. I don’t intend on losing touch with any of my Heatherdene friends. We will be having tea or coffee and a good catch up in the future.

 

Jacqui will certainly leave a legacy at the home and will be greatly missed!

Care Home in Ringmer Celebrates Ascot with Horse Parade

Residents and staff at Lime Tree House Care Home in Ringmer, Lewes donned their best hats and outfits for Royal Ascot. However, this year, we had to adapt and adjust this very much awaited event due to the current situation, but the fun was guaranteed.

A Surprise for Ladies’ Day

The residents at Lime Tree House received a pleasant surprise on Ladies Day! Hannah, the granddaughter of one of our residents, brought her pony, Rory, and her horse, Woody, to our care home! We had an outside parade to mark this day. Our two equestrian guests were exceptionally well mannered and enjoyed the attention from our residents and staff.

Horsing Around: Little Rory shows us his best side as he trots round the car park. (Lime Tree House, Care Home in Ringmer)

Creating Meaningful Links with Our Community

Community engagement is very important to us. Every member of staff greatly appreciates and values each resident as an individual. That’s why we host events like these, to show our dear residents how much they mean to us, as well as to others in our local area.

“It was such a delight to be able to put on a show for the lovely residents at Lime Tree House. We are constantly looking for new ways to engage with our local community. This experience will stay with all of us for a long time. It was so good to see the smiles on their faces and being able to do something meaningful for all of them”.

Hannah, Owner of Rory The Pony

“It was so lovely to see all our residents and staff horsing around and enjoying the event. Their smiles where wide as a furlong. Our sincere thanks to our resident’s relatives for getting involved and making this happen”.

Julie MCPHATER, care home manager
Wonderful memories!

What is Lime Tree House like?

Lime Tree House is a residential care home in Ringmer, part of Southcare Homes Group. This family-run business provides high-quality, person-centred care and a unique way of life for the elderly. Our dedicated care providers staff strive to create happy homes and always work with a smile. Lime Tree House provides residential and respite care for the elderly. New residents are more than welcome and we always ensure we are there for those who need care and support.

Keeping everyone safe is also a priority for us. That’s why we have an unambiguous admission policy and robust infection control protocols. We are always putting the needs of our residents and their loved ones first. As a result, we are rising to every challenge this pandemic throws our way. Please give us a call if you are looking for care or need further help: 01273 813 755. You can also visit our website, www.southcarehomes.com/. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook.

Candidates Visit Residents for Election

We’ve made sure our residents can be a part of the upcoming election, remembering that everyone’s vote counts.

With elections right around corner, we’ve made sure that all of our residents in Southcare Homes can be a part of this climactic time. They will either have physical access to an actual polling station on the day, or we’ve made arrangements for them to vote online or by post for those less mobile.

Plus, we want our residents to be able to make informed decisions when it comes to voting. That’s why we went one step further than just putting the news on in the morning. We arranged for candidates to come and visit our homes. This way, they can talk to residents and discuss the topics that matter to them. 

The Lewes Lib Dem Visits Lime Tree Residents

The Liberal Democrat Representative for Lewes, Oli Henman, visited Lime Tree House, our residential home in Ringmer. Mr Henman was very receptive to the residents’ views. He listened attentively, even making notes. All that wanted to, were able to take part in a lively discussion that focused on issues that specifically affect our residents.

Talks covered the NHS, state pensions, social care and the cost of coming into care. The candidate had a run for his money when some of our rather cheeky residents began heckling from the back. Some were even booing when Brexit was mentioned!

In his parting comments, Henman said it was ‘lovely to hear from the residents, [they were] very engaged and [had] incisive comments. I look forward to working to ensure better funding for health and social care as your Liberal Democrat representative’.  On commenting on the home, both Mr Henman and his driver were very impressed with Lime Tree. The driver, Theo, said he had a relative in a care home locally and ours was by far better, more friendly and had a lovely atmosphere.

It was “lovely to hear from the residents, [they were] very engaged and [had] incisive comments.”

Oli Henman, Lewes Lib Dem Rep

Labour Candidate Visits Heatherdene

Heatherdene Nursing Home in Bexhill, had a visit from Christine Bayliss, the Labour candidate for Battle and Bexhill. Christine has been active in local politics for a long time. She is now serving as a Rother District Councillor for the ward of Bexhill Central and Cabinet Member for Bexhill Affairs and Regeneration.

She is very well informed about the problems in health and social care at the moment and was very interested in staff and residents’ first-hand experiences. The candidate spoke to residents and their relatives about local issues affecting them – pot holes being just one of many!

Our residents could actively engage with current issues and feel a part of the current political climate. Our residents will be making sure their voices are heard at election time.

This was a fantastic opportunity to remind our residents how important they are to us, to their local community and to the government. Everyone has the right to vote, even those with dementia. No matter your age, you still have so much to give to your community.