Karen is one of our scheme managers working in our Retirement services.
She shares a glimpse into her role looking after residents who experience dementia.
“The job is very varied, every day is different. I see some of my residents daily and some I rarely see at all. The scheme is known as leasehold retirement, so you have to be over 55 to live here and be capable of living independently.
"Some of my residents are still working - and at the other end of the spectrum, I have a resident who is 101. If a resident has no support network, I work with social services to put care in place if required. Sometimes, that transition is difficult and challenging. Often, there is a period when it becomes obvious that someone is struggling with tasks and unwilling to accept or acknowledge that they need help now.
Karen, Peabody Scheme Manager
"At the Mount there are many social activities that residents can take part in. There is a weekly coffee morning, bingo, fish and chip lunches, and there is always a birthday that needs celebrating! Events are organised for occasions such Easter and Christmas and we usually have a big summer party outside. We are lucky that we have beautiful communal grounds. Simpson is a lovely village right in the middle of Milton Keynes with lots of accessible walks and countryside.
"I do have a lot of single ladies and they do seem to really enjoy getting out and having a chat. I am sure this helps combat loneliness, which can be a major problem with the elderly. Some of the residents even go away on holiday together!’’
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