Olive House

Our Home

This purpose built, single storey care home offers extremely high quality residential care for elderly people. All of the bedrooms at Olive House include en-suite facilities, and the home incorporates a welcoming reception area, dining room, many lounge areas, and attractive gardens surround the home, which our residents and their guests regularly enjoy.

Although our rooms are fully furnished, we encourage residents to bring with them items of furniture and personal effects to complement those already provided so that their room can become an individual retreat.

Olive House is conveniently situated in a small village some eight miles south of Norwich. The village has a range of shops and amenities. To ensure, where possible, that our residents have an active social life, regular trips are organised to the local theatre, garden centres and the Suffolk and Norfolk coast.

Facilities

45 bedrooms
Modernised and comfortable accommodation
Visiting optician, dentist and chiropodist
Special dietary requirements are met
Attractive gardens
Specialist equipment available if required
3.5 miles away from local amenities

Activities

A wide range of activities are organised at the home, including:

Carpet bowls
Bingo and quizzes
Exercise classes
Play Your Cards Right
Oversized jenga and snakes & ladders
Gardening
Dominos
Lets Talk Sessions
Arts & crafts
Skittles
Pamper days
Horse racing
Outings, including the Royal Norfolk Show
Sugar craft
Music workshops
Activities programme

Kerry Gooda Home Manager

Jan Mackay Administrator

Graham Saville Housekeeper

Wendy Sadler Head of Care

Lorraine Leighton Head Cook

Dean Forbes Maintenance

Claire Williams Activities Co-ordinator

Kerry Gooda Home Manager

Why did you decide to work at Healthcare Homes?

I decided to work at Olive House as it has a good reputation and having worked in nursing and dementia care for many years, I felt I wished to experience a residential care environment

What role did you carry out before you came to Healthcare Homes?

I was a Deputy Manager in a care home for people living with dementia

What do you think a person needs to do to be good in your role?

To be calm, organised and a good listener. Be open and honest. Be empathetic and pro-active

What’s your favourite part of your working day and why?

I enjoy having fun with our residents; to know that you have made someone smile is a wonderful feeling. Also, as a new manager in post, I am enjoying learning my new role.

What’s been your biggest professional challenge in your current role, or in your career to date?

Becoming the manager of Olive House. I am thoroughly enjoying it and its challenges.

What has been your biggest career highlight to date?

Being given the opportunity to manage Olive House.

What qualities do you think make you stand out?

To be organised, calm and a good listener. Be open and honest. Be empathetic and pro-active. To be understanding of people’s needs, wishes and preferences.

What are your interests outside of work/how do you unwind?

I enjoy spending time with my husband and family. I enjoy reading, shopping and baking.

What do you enjoy/you looking forward to most about working at this care home?

From my first day, I have always loved Olive House. I have a fabulous team of staff that are so dedicated to providing outstanding care for our residents and making them happy; this makes coming to Olive House a pleasure.

Jan Mackay Administrator

Why did you decide to work at Healthcare Homes?

I had worked in the care industry previously

What role did you carry out before you came to Healthcare Homes?

Administrator in a care home

What do you think a person needs to do to be good in your role?

Organised, calm and an ability to multi-task

What’s your favourite part of your working day and why?

I enjoy every part of my working day as no two days are the same

What has been your biggest career highlight to date?

Setting up a cardiology company on the science park in Cambridge

What qualities do you think make you stand out?

Caring, a good listener and always has an open door

What are your interests outside of work/how do you unwind?

Walking my dog Tilly. I also enjoy gardening, yoga and socialising with family and friends

What do you enjoy/you looking forward to most about working at this care home?

Helping both staff and residents

Graham Saville Housekeeper

Please detail any relevant education/training

All of Healthcare Homes mandatory training.

NVQ 2,3 and 4.

End of life.

NVQ in cleaning.

Year started working at Healthcare Homes

2019.

Why did you decide to work at Healthcare Home?

As I wanted to get back into care homes which is what I enjoy the most.

What role did you carry out before you came to Healthcare Homes?

Care coordinator.

What do you think a person needs to do to be good in your role?

Good leadership skills.

Work as a team and encourage a team.

What’s your favourite part of your working day and why?

Making a resident happy and making residents smile.

Making sure the home smells nice and is clean.

What’s been your biggest professional challenge in your current role, or in your career to date?

Making sure that the home smells nice and cleaning all areas.

What has been your biggest career highlight to date?

My favourite role is here at Olive House leading the team of domestics.

What qualities do you think make a good home manager?

At manager that is easy to talk to, that’s gets involved in all departments and who is a people person and leads a team well.

What do you enjoy/are you looking forward to the most about working at this care home?

I play indoor bowls.

I also enjoy musicals and the theatre.

I enjoy working with a good team at Olive House.

Wendy Sadler Head of Care

Please detail any relevant education/training

NVQ 2 and 3.

PTLLS.

Moving and handling trainer.

Year started working at Healthcare Homes

2018.

Why did you decide to work at Healthcare Home?

Wanted to go back to working in care homes instead of domiciliary care.

What role did you carry out before you came to Healthcare Homes?

I was a care coordinator.

What do you think a person needs to do to be good in your role?

Good leadership skills, kind, caring, patience empathy and energetic.

What’s your favourite part of your working day and why?

Ensuring that all residents receive good quality care and are happy.

What’s been your biggest professional challenge in your current role, or in your career to date?

Doing my PTLLS and took on the training role in my previous job.

What has been your biggest career highlight to date?

Being given the job at Olive House as the head of care.

What qualities do you think make a good home manager?

Compassion, good listening skills and putting residents first. Good team leading and helping out when needed.

What do you enjoy/are you looking forward to the most about working at this care home?

Spending time with my family.

Theatre and cinema.

Making a difference to our resident’s lives and being a good role model.

Lorraine Leighton Head Cook

Please detail any relevant education/training

Food Hygiene Certificate

Year started working at Healthcare Homes

April 2017

Why did you decide to work at Healthcare Home

Everyone encouraged me to come back

What role did you carry out before you came to Healthcare Homes

I was a cook at a different care home

What do you think a person needs to do to be good in your role?

Organised, good cook, compassion, willing to have a go at anything

What’s your favourite part of your working day and why?

Meeting the residents in the morning for breakfast

What’s been your biggest professional challenge in your current role, or in your career to date?

Paperwork

What has been your biggest career highlight to date?

Managing a good team of staff in the kitchen

What qualities do you think make a good home manager?

Compassion, be lively, willing to get involved with everything in the home

What do you enjoy/are you looking forward to the most about working at this care home?

Air shows. Crafting. Looking after my family

Meeting staff and residents

Dean Forbes Maintenance

Please detail any relevant education/training

All of Healthcare Homes mandatory training

Year started working at Healthcare Homes

2018

Why did you decide to work at Healthcare Home

I was previously a house husband and wanted to work around my daughter

What role did you carry out before you came to Healthcare Homes

House husband

What do you think a person needs to do to be good in your role?

Organised, able to prioritise, good people skills

What’s your favourite part of your working day and why?

Making the residents happy

What’s been your biggest professional challenge in your current role, or in your career to date?

Keeping aircraft in the air whilst in the RAF

What has been your biggest career highlight to date?

Completing my training course to become an aircraft engineer

What qualities do you think make a good home manager?

Caring, understanding and knowledgeable

What do you enjoy/are you looking forward to the most about working at this care home?

Spending time with my family. I have a 5 year old daughter Lexi and two German Shepherds called Izzy and Sookie.

Making the residents smile and making sure they are happy

Claire Williams Activities Co-ordinator

Why did you decide to work at Healthcare Homes?

I live near Olive House so I knew about the home

What role did you carry out before you came to Healthcare Homes?

I was a care assistant

What do you think a person needs to do to be good in your role?

To be energetic, creative, caring and enjoy making people happy

What’s your favourite part of your working day and why?

I love doing activities with our residents and enjoying their company. I love to see residents happy and joining in things they may not have done before; keeping minds active

What’s been your biggest professional challenge in your current role, or in your career to date?

When I moved from my care assistant role in to activities

What has been your biggest career highlight to date?

Very proud of achieving my NVQ 2 and 3. I am also proud about what I have achieved in my new role

What qualities do you think make you stand out?

Being caring, understanding, patient and a good listener

What are your interests outside of work/how do you unwind?

I like reading, dancing, swimming and cooking. I also enjoy going for walks, especially on the beach

What do you enjoy/you looking forward to most about working at this care home?

I enjoy my job at Olive House and making residents happy