Our team at
Cairdean House

I joined Care UK in 2014 as a Care Assistant at Cairdean House. Alongside working as a Care Assistant, I completed my degree in Adult Nursing and then became a Registered Nurse in 2018. In June 2022, I transferred to Care UK’s Murrayside as a Unit Manager, but I rejoined Cairdean in July 2023 as Deputy Manager, and I am over the moon to be back!

Care UK provides excellent care to residents, and residents are always the priority. To be a Deputy Manager, I feel you have to be approachable, kind and patient. The most important part of my role is ensuring that our residents are supported in maintaining their safety and wellbeing and to ensure they are living a fulfilled life each and every day.

Making a difference to residents’ lives and seeing them happy makes me proud of what I do. I am also proud of our team here at Cairdean House. My colleagues are truly exceptional and genuinely care for residents. I love that Cairdean is a family, which includes residents, visitors and colleagues!

Since becoming a mum in 2021, I enjoy spending as much time as possible with my son outside of work, watching him grow and go on as many adventures as possible. 

I joined Care UK in 2020 as I was looking for a career move where I could really make a difference. I feel that supporting older people is a real privilege and a sense of giving back. Before working here, I worked as a Business Development Manager within the motor industry for 15 years.

Working at Cairdean I enjoy being part of the family from the team to the residents - it is a complete family culture and to be part of that is very special.

To do well in this role, I feel you have to be a people person. From the initial enquiry from the loved ones, understanding their needs and wishes. This is an emotional time for the resident and family so we need to make them feel fully supported throughout. I also love to meet the residents, listen to their amazing stories and of course see how much Cairdean is a ‘home from home’ to them.

My biggest challenge so far has been starting this role during the Covid-19 pandemic. Helping families virtually has been difficult but it’s also a great challenge to ensure we cover everything in detail.

Outside of work, I love spending time with my little five-year-old, husband and our new dog Mylo and we enjoy long walks and adventures.  

I started working at Cairdean House as a carer in October 2015 and progressed onto working as a team leader and then as the Lifestyle Lead in 2019. I decided to join Care UK as I wanted to help people and give them more happiness in their later life.

To do well in this role, I feel you need to be very organised, a people person, enthusiastic, and be able to think out of the box with new ideas.

The best part of my day is spending time with the residents and seeing them smile during activities and reminiscing time. So far, my biggest career highlight has been organised large charitable events. I love smashing our targets and exceeding everyone’s expectations.

When I’m not working, I enjoy time with my young family and taking them on adventures.

I’ve been cooking in the care sector for around 10 years. Over this time, I’ve gained experience and training in all the aspects required to create and manage nutritious menus that can be catered to any specialist diet you come across within a care home.

I was working as a second chef in another care home before joining Cairdean House, but I wanted a new challenge. This role appealed to me as an opportunity to showcase my skills in a new environment.

In this role, it’s important to be a strong leader and a good listener. You also need to be organised, approachable and willing to teach others. I believe the most important part of my role is incorporating new ideas to suit menus for different dietary requirements, while using seasonal and local produce.

A highlight from my career was being named the regional finalist for Chef of the Year in my previous job. At that time, I was the only Second Chef to have made the finals. I’m always grateful to receive positive feedback from residents and relatives – it makes me feel proud of what I do.

I’m a keen bowler outside of work, and I also enjoy going to watch the football.

I decided to join Care UK after hearing positive feedback and testimonies from people I know and through my own research. Previously, I had been working as a medical surgical nurse in the Philippines since 2010.

Being promoted to Unit Manager and having the opportunity to be Cairdean House’s Dementia Care Champion have been the highlights of my career. In this role, you need to be optimistic, resilient and have a positive mindset. Teamwork and camaraderie are also important characteristics to have.

I strive to be an example to others. A good leader doesn’t just show that everything is always perfect. They also acknowledge that things might not turn out the way we want right away, but that together we will find a solution and progress as a team.

My days at Cairdean House can be long, but it always brightens my day when a resident or a family member expresses their thanks and gratitude. Their smiles and hugs when they know they are being cared for are my favourite part of the day.

When I’m not working, I enjoy PC gaming, window shopping, cooking and working out.

I’ve had a varied career, from working with children to management and being self-employed. I was working as Receptionist/Administrator here at Cairdean House before being promoted to Business Administrator, and before that I worked as a receptionist with another care home provider. Care UK offered a friendly and inviting team environment, as well as the scope to progress my career.

All aspects of my role are pivotal in the running of the home, but being available to colleagues, residents and relatives alike is most important. In this role, you need to have patience, organisational skills, approachability and a caring nature. I enjoy all aspects of my role, but I do love being out of the office on the floor, having a chat to the residents and relatives.

I feel proud whenever I can help people in times of joy, need or difficulty.

I’m a keen paddleboarder and skier outside of work. I also like to unwind by doing arts and crafts, specifically abstract painting and jewellery making.

Before becoming the Receptionist/Administrator at Cairdean House, I was working as a Care Assistant where I was nominated for Best Carer of the Year. I was recommended for this role by a current colleague.

My role is to greet visitors professionally and respectfully and ensure that team members are fulfilling their weekly shifts. I believe it’s important to be sociable, bubbly, compassionate and outgoing in this role.

I love that I have the chance to chat with families and help with queries every day, and I’m proud that I can help families and be the face of Cairdean House.

When I arrived in the UK at the age of 20, I had no plan, no connections and no knowledge of the language, but I’m proud to now hold a significant role at Cairdean House. I was keen to join Care UK because it offers the perfect work/life balance.

Ensuring the safety of people in the building is a crucial part of my role. This includes regularly checking and maintaining safety systems, as well as promptly responding to any threats or incidents to minimise risks.

In this role, it’s important to have strong problem-solving skills, attention to detail and technical expertise in specific areas of maintenance. You also need to be able to work independently and as part of a team, be adaptable to handle various tasks and challenges, have good communication skills when interacting with colleagues and clients and have a commitment to safety protocols and procedures.

My favourite part of the working day is when I successfully troubleshoot and fix a challenging problem. It's immensely satisfying to apply my skills and knowledge to resolve issues, and it gives me a sense of accomplishment knowing that I've contributed to the smooth operation of the facility or equipment.

I’m proud knowing that my work directly contributes to the efficiency and safety of Cairdean House. Additionally, overcoming complex challenges and continuously learning and improving my skills gives me a sense of accomplishment and pride in my work.