With the current Covid-19 crisis, people are finally starting to realise the vital role that carers perform within society. So, when Kate Floyd (Senior Carer) recently reached her 20-year anniversary at Arlington House – we thought her hard-work, dedication and longevity needed to be celebrated with a special blog.

On 29^th March 2020 Kate Floyd celebrated 20 years providing care at Arlington House. Just think about that for a moment. It’s literally thousands of resident interactions – some happy, some sad, some uplifting, some upsetting – but what it shows more than anything is that Arlington House is blessed to have someone who genuinely cares so passionately about what she does.

Kate is hugely popular with all residents, staff, family members and visitors to the home. As a Senior Carer she plays a vital role in supporting the Home Manager to provide an exceptional level of care day in, day out.

Many of you will also have come across Kate in her marketing role. With her extensive experience of Arlington House, Kate does a lot of our tours for prospective new residents and their families. This is often a stressful time for all concerned and Kate always handles this process in a professional, sensitive and friendly manner.

We also didn’t think this blog would be complete without a quick Q&A from the person in question – over to you Kate!

What is the main secret to achieving 20 years at Arlington House?

You have to accept that you will have some good and bad days, so it’s important to keep things in perspective. Plus, I have always been settled and content at Arlington House, and I love what I do.

 What has been your single biggest achievement/highlight?

I would say getting to my 20-year anniversary – I never thought I would achieve this milestone!

What are the best parts of working in care for the elderly?

I try to treat the residents as I would do with a family member. It’s vital to do the right thing and aim to make them happy. I enjoy the funny things the residents say, it’s always good to have a laugh at work.

How has Arlington House changed over the past 20 years?

There has been massive change! When I started, it was a 14-bed home, now it’s 26. There have also been big improvements in terms of recruitment, training and general care. I get the impression that all our staff really do enjoy coming into work – which is exactly the position we want to be in.

Congratulations once again Kate, your hard-work, loyalty and passion is massively appreciated by us all.