Meet Olivia: Our Deputy Care Manager

From caring for her 98-year-old grandmother to becoming Deputy Care Manager at Right at Home Cheshire East, Olivia's journey into care wasn't exactly planned. But sometimes the unexpected turns turn out to be the best ones.

At Right at Home Cheshire East, we're lucky to have a team of people who genuinely care about what they do. And when it comes to Olivia, our Deputy Care Manager, that passion shines through in everything she says.

She's a mum of three, a self-confessed tea lover, the office's unofficial "Mummy Bear", and someone who has worked her way up through the care sector since joining us in 2020.

We sat down with Olivia to find out how it all began, what life as a Deputy Care Manager really looks like, and why, despite the challenges, she wouldn't change her career for the world.

It All Started with Grandma

Unlike some people who always know what career they want to pursue, Olivia's journey into care happened almost by accident.

Before joining Right at Home, she'd spent much of her working life in hospitality and had never imagined herself working in the care sector.

But someone very special spotted something in her that she hadn't quite recognised herself.

"I was caring for my grandmother, who was 98 at the time, and she said to me one day, 'You know what? You'd make a really good carer.'"

Olivia's first reaction? She laughed.

But the comment stuck with her, and eventually she decided to give it a go.

"I applied, and I'm still here, living the dream!"

Six years later, she's progressed through the organisation to become Deputy Care Manager, and she describes joining the care sector as the best career move she's ever made.

Not bad for something that started with a bit of advice from Grandma!

A Typical Day? What's One of Those?

If you're imagining a Deputy Care Manager sitting at a desk with a perfectly organised diary, ticking off tasks one by one, Olivia might have some disappointing news.

"No two days are ever the same. You can walk in one day, have everything nice and organised, and everything runs smoothly. Then you get a phone call that changes your day completely."

And that carefully prepared to-do list?

Well, apparently it has a habit of multiplying.

"Your to-do list ends up being a hundred lists!"

From supporting Carers and visiting Clients to working alongside healthcare professionals, responding to unexpected situations and overseeing care packages, Olivia's days are anything but predictable.

But she takes it all in her stride, with one priority always at the forefront: making sure everything is handled safely and effectively.

So what's the first thing she does when she arrives at the office?

"Make a cup of tea. Sit down, take a deep breath and prepare for the day."

A sensible approach, although we suspect that cup of tea occasionally goes cold before she gets to finish it!

More Than Just a Job

One of the things Olivia speaks most passionately about is the emotional side of working in care.

It's something that people outside the sector don't always see or fully understand.

"They tell you not to get emotional and attached to people in this role. But you do end up with hundreds of grandmas and grandpas, and that's how you look at caring for them."

For Olivia, providing excellent care means seeing the person behind the care plan, understanding their individual needs and treating them with the same dignity, kindness and respect you'd want for your own family.

"Person-centred care is the main approach. It's about how you'd want to be treated or how you'd want your loved ones to be treated."

And she's not someone who believes everything can be managed from behind a desk.

Olivia makes a point of visiting Clients personally, getting to know them and building relationships with their families.

"What you see on a piece of paper isn't necessarily what's happening at the property at the time."

It's this hands-on approach that allows her to understand what's really needed and make sure care remains personal, responsive and centred around each individual.

Many Clients and their families know Olivia by name, and there's often plenty of friendly banter when she picks up the phone.

For Olivia, those relationships matter just as much as the practical arrangements.

The Moments That Stay With You

Of course, working in care isn't always easy.

When asked about a moment that reminded her why she does the job, Olivia spoke about a Client who was approaching the end of her life.

Determined to make sure the lady received all the support she needed, Olivia worked closely with nurses and other professionals, advocating for her care and remaining involved throughout.

"I did everything in my power to fight for her. I got her every help from every angle. I was there myself."

Sadly, the Client eventually passed away.

It's experiences like these that demonstrate just how emotionally demanding care can be, particularly when you've built meaningful relationships with the people you support.

Olivia doesn't pretend those moments are easy.

"You try not to get emotional, but you do. You take a deep breath and go again."

Behind the care plans, telephone calls and daily responsibilities are real people, real relationships and moments that stay with you long after the working day has finished.

And sometimes, making a difference simply means being there when somebody needs you most.

Every Carer Needs a Mummy Bear

When we asked Olivia what her team might say about her, one particular nickname came up.

"Mummy Bear."

And it turns out there's a very good reason for it.

"A lot of the Carers call me Mummy Bear. Staffing is very important. You've got to have respect for them, and you've got to be that shoulder to cry on."

Over the years, Olivia has become someone the team knows they can turn to, whether they need advice, reassurance, a listening ear or simply someone to help them through a difficult day.

"I've had staff in the room with me where they've laughed, cried, screamed and shouted, but they'll always leave laughing and smiling."

For Olivia, supporting Carers isn't just another management responsibility. It's something she genuinely cares about.

She understands the pressures that come with working in care and knows how important it is that staff feel valued, listened to and supported.

"Without them, the business wouldn't run."

And while we can't promise that every conversation with Olivia will be accompanied by a cup of tea, it sounds as though there's a very good chance you'll leave feeling better than when you arrived.

It's Not Just a Cup of Tea and a Chat!

There's one misconception about care that Olivia is particularly keen to challenge.

That it's simply popping into someone's home, making them a brew and having a chat.

Although those little moments of companionship can mean the world to someone, there's much more to the role.

"Care is not just a cup of tea and a cake. You never know what you're going to walk into."

For Olivia, a great Carer needs to be reliable, compassionate, adaptable and genuinely interested in helping others.

Reliability is especially important because, for some Clients, their Carer may be the only person they see all day.

And when it comes to people considering a career in care, Olivia has one piece of advice: keep an open mind.

Having started with no previous professional care experience herself, she knows just how much there is to learn.

With full training and ongoing support, she believes people can discover abilities they didn't even know they had.

"You'll learn so much. Hearing people's life stories teaches you a lot about life as well."

The Circle of Life — According to Olivia

Working in care hasn't just changed Olivia's career. It's also changed the way she looks at life.

And she's got a rather memorable way of explaining it.

"I call it the circle of life. Everyone laughs at me because it sounds like The Lion King!"

Her thinking is simple.

When we're babies, we rely on other people to look after us. As we grow older, we become independent and often find ourselves caring for others. Then, later in life, we may need a little help ourselves.

It's something she often talks about with her three children, even if they do laugh at her Lion King comparisons.

But behind the humour is an important message.

Needing care is a natural part of life, and everyone deserves to receive it with dignity, compassion and respect.

We think Grandma would approve of that one.

Watching Right at Home Grow

Having joined Right at Home Cheshire East in 2020, Olivia has seen the business develop significantly.

From expanding into new areas to building relationships with NHS services, healthcare professionals and private Clients, she's proud to have been part of that journey.

One aspect she particularly enjoys is supporting the private care side of the business and meeting people in the local community.

For Olivia, there's something especially rewarding about hearing that a family has approached Right at Home because someone else recommended the service.

It's a reminder that the relationships the team builds and the care they provide leave a lasting impression.

She also values the strong working relationships with nurses, GPs and other professionals, recognising how important collaboration is in delivering the right support for Clients.

And as the business continues to grow, Olivia is excited to see what comes next.

Thinking About a Career in Care? Olivia Has Some Advice

When asked what she'd say to someone considering a career in care but feeling nervous about taking the first step, Olivia didn't hesitate.

"Go for it. A million percent, go for it!"

She knows firsthand that you don't need to have your entire career mapped out from the beginning.

Sometimes all it takes is someone believing in you, a willingness to learn and the confidence to try something new.

For Olivia, that someone was her grandmother.

And what began as an unexpected career change has become a job she genuinely loves.

"You learn so much from people and their life stories. It teaches you a lot about life."

It's not always easy, it's certainly never boring, and some days require more cups of tea than others.

But would she change it?

Absolutely not.

One Last Question…

We finished by asking Olivia to sum up why she loves what she does in just one sentence.

Her answer was wonderfully simple.

"No two days are ever the same, and I absolutely love this role."

And that really does sum Olivia up.

She's someone who cares deeply about her Clients, looks after her team, embraces the unpredictable and somehow manages to bring warmth and humour into even the most challenging days.

From a 98-year-old grandmother's encouragement to becoming the office's much-loved Mummy Bear, Olivia's story is a reminder that the best careers aren't always the ones we plan.

Sometimes they're the ones we discover along the way.

And we're very glad Olivia discovered hers with Right at Home Cheshire East.