At our Malvern-based Davenham, Perrins House and Bradbury Court, our residential, nursing and dementia care homes which are collectively known as Friends of the Elderly Malvern, residents and the Care Team have welcomed a new General Manager, Jo Bennett.
Jo joined Friends of the Elderly at the beginning of January. She has been working in the care sector for over 16 years and brings to the Charity a wealth of knowledge and a proven track record of delivering exceptional care.
“I started my career working in the Motor Trade arena, in B2B (Business to Business) Customer Sales – and was actually also a qualified Driving Instructor,” said Jo. “My motivation to change careers and focus on care, came from my loving Grandparents. My Nan lived with us for many years and was always there when I needed her. As Nan got older, as a family, we had first-hand experience of palliative care, which inspired me to pursue a career in healthcare, so I too could ensure high quality care for others.”
Having worked in the care industry for 16 years, Jo has held a variety of roles across the sector. “I spent quite a few years working as a Registered Manager for a diverse range of care homes; most recently, I worked in regional operations overseeing a number of large nursing homes, recommissioning company-wide dementia households and implementing digital platforms ” Jo continued.
“My passion has always been to create a welcoming and inclusive community where people truly feel a sense of home. This belief directs me every day, and I am so proud to lead a team that holds our residents’ health, well-being and happiness at the heart of all we do.”
Apart from her morning routine, no two days are the same for Jo. “At the beginning of every day, I do my walk-about to all three care homes – Davenham, Perrins House and Bradbury Court. It is important to me that I take time to check-in on our residents and chat to the care team to make sure everything is OK. It’s then back to the office for our Morning Staff Team Huddle which the Unit Managers and a representative from each department come along to. It’s only a brief meeting to ensure that we have clear, open communication and an understanding of what is happening across the whole of Friends of the Elderly Malvern, it really sets us up for the day.
“As the General Manager for the three Friends of the Elderly Malvern care homes on one site, I make sure I prioritise my time to be available for each home as and when they need me so I can meet any needs or requirements as they arise,” Jo added.
“I started my career in care as an Activities Coordinator, so I totally appreciate how important meaningful engagement is to a person, celebrating each individual and providing stimulating, motivating and inspiring activities is key to well-being; and I try and attend as many of our wide and varied activities as often as I can across all three care homes.
“I like to motivate my teams by always making sure that outstanding performance and efforts never go un-noticed, celebrating our individual and group strengths – and importantly – supporting each other. Having your efforts noticed can be all the motivation you need to continue to strive to improve, a simple thank you means so much after a difficult day,” continued Jo.
Talking about Jo’s appointment, Friends of the Elderly’s Regional Director, Sam Redmond said: “Jo’s solid background in partnership working to bring about positive change is a great addition to the Charity. Jo’s experience has been gained through a number of channels including working on Leadership in Dementia Care with Worcester University and a raft of Appreciative Inquiry and Quality Improvement Projects with the West Midlands Safer Provision and Caring Excellence (SPACE).”
“One of my proudest achievements was winning three awards from the CCG SPACE Safety Project 2017/2018,” said Jo. No stranger to winning awards, Jo has also won Nursing Home of the Year 2018, Most Innovative Improvement 2018 and Highly Commended Manager of the Year 2018 at the prestigious SPACE Awards.
“Knowing that I make a positive difference to our residents and their loved ones is what gets me up each morning. My passion has always been to create a welcoming and inclusive community where people truly feel a sense of home.
“I am very proud and honoured to be the General Manager at Friends of the Elderly Malvern and to be working with a devoted team who are committed to keeping each resident safe, happy, inspired and motivated – every day,” Jo concluded.
Through three care homes and a day care centre at Malvern, we deliver dedicated services to our residents and clients. Find out more by calling 01905 388 720 or emailing enquiries@fote.org.uk.