Community connections a priority for new manager revitalising care home
A new manager has taken the helm at King’s Manor Care Home, in Ottery St Mary, Devon, with exciting plans to build even more relationships with the community.
Marita Westaway, brings a wealth of experience having worked in the care sector for 20 years, latterly as a home manager in Honiton
As well as bringing fresh energy and seeking to build on successes within the home, she is planning to extend King’s Manor’s long-standing tradition of working with the wider community too.
Previously community engagement work has included sponsoring the town’s Food and Families Festival, with the home’s chef giving a cooking demonstration at the 2019 event, and joining the Rotary Club, which moved the start of its Christmas Santa Sleigh run to the home – much to the enjoyment of everyone there. Ottery’s amateur dramatic society has also been allowed to rehearse their panto in the home’s cinema space.
Children and young people are a big priority too. King’s Manor sponsored a local girls football team and, before the pandemic, regularly welcomed students from The King’s School nearby, who would give up their lunchtimes to come and spend time with people living in the home. Members of the local Rainbows group were also regular visitors, joining in with art classes and other events.
Marita said: “King’s Manor has worked with so many groups and individuals over the past few years, and that is something we’re determined to keep going as we open a new chapter for the care home because supporting and caring for others is what comes naturally to the fantastic team we have here.”
The care home has long been a supporter of the local business community, forging links with The Silver Otter, a charitable café in Ottery St Mary, where the team has held training events and meetings. Before the pandemic the home also worked with five businesswomen who used its therapy room to run businesses offering reiki, acupuncture, massage, beauty treatments, and reflexology, while a local hearing aid business was based in the home too, keeping in touch with clients after moving out of a shop in the town.
Connections with charities also abound, with King’s Manor supporting The Ottery Help Scheme, and the local Age UK group, among others.
As lockdown and other restrictions begin to lift, and with a new manager in charge, 2021 looks to be an exciting year for King’s Manor Care Home, a 66-bedded, purpose-built luxury care home in beautifully landscaped gardens, that specialises in the provision of outstanding nursing, residential and dementia care.
Marita adds: “I am so excited to step into this role as care home manager, and as the pandemic restrictions begin to lift, at last, I want to re-establish those relationships and forge and develop new ones too.
“Being a busy, outward-looking, active, and engaged home is so important for us, and by connecting with others and bringing people in, we are also supporting the vibrancy of the brilliant Ottery community of which we’re proud to be a part.”
To find out more about the Maria Mallaband Care Group visit: https://www.mmcgcarehomes.co.uk/
