Nail technician makes care home resident 'feel like a woman again'

Volunteer nail technician, Sharon Williams, was such a hit with residents at a group of care homes in Wrexham, that they wrote to the care home owners and asked that the 45-year-old-mum of two be given a permanent job.

For the past year, residents have been queuing up to get multi-coloured and diamond encrusted nails from Ms Williams at Pendine Park Care Organisation Ltd.

Ms Williams was originally taken on by care bosses 12 months ago, and they eventually offered her the “dream job she’d always wanted”. The exceptional rapport she has with residents, combined with her exciting nail designs have earned her an army of admirers at the homes.

According to Ms Williams, it’s this camaraderie that makes the job what it is. “The homes are all amazing. You feel the warmth and care as soon you walk into them”.

“It’s great to see the reactions of the residents when they’ve been to one of my pampering sessions, which hopefully can change someone’s day for the better.

“One of the ladies actually said to me that I’d made her feel like a woman again and that was so nice to hear.”

The nail technician’s bold but intricate nail creations have been a talking point amongst residents over the past year. Ms Williams says: “The oldest of the ladies who come to me is 98 and she recently asked if I could paint her finger nails black. I did it after checking with the staff to make sure they didn’t mind.”

Originally Ms Williams worked as a care assistant and took four years off to have her daughter Ellie Mai, now five.

She was studying to become a nail technician when she visited her mum in Clatterbridge Hospital. Her mother was having treatment for breast cancer at the time but has since recovered.

Ms Williams recalled that at the hospital “there was a lady doing hand and arm massage on a voluntary basis in what can be a very stressful environment and it made me think what a great idea it was. I remember saying to my mum that I’d love to do something like that.

“When I finished the nail technician’s course I asked a friend who worked at Pendine Park’s Highfield home if they’d like me to come in as a volunteer to do residents’ nails and some massage too.

“That was just over 12 months ago, and things went very well from the start. I know that some of the residents wrote to the owners, with the backing of the activities co-ordinator Christine Lewis, asking if I could be given a permanent job and I’ve recently been taken on part-time doing 10 hours a week.”

‘Having your nails taken care of like this makes you feel a bit special’

Ms Williams, who also has a 12-year-old son called Bradley, says that she is “now doing a few hours each week at Highfield”, plus she works at several other homes in the area too. She says: “It’s a dream come true for me and I’m doing manicures, pedicures, hand and arm massage or just simply having a good old chat with the residents about anything and everything.”

However, Ms Williams insists her treatments are not just for the ladies. There are now “hand massages and manicures” for the male residents, “because we don’t want to leave them out.”

Short stay resident Jean Haggard from Wrexham, visits Highfield for regular respite days. Recently she had her nails painted “in a very nice shade of pink with a small jewel set into one of them”. The 90-year-old resident went on to say: “It’s good to be made a fuss of like this and by such a lovely lady, too. I’m glad I can come to the nail bar when I’m here at the home.”

Another regular is Sue Mullally, aged 60. She was impressed with the bright green nails she was given. She said: “I like to change the colour of my nails every so often and it’s marvellous to have Sharon doing them for me. Having your nails taken care of like this makes you feel a bit special”

Residents wrote in to say "they’d miss her if she didn’t stay"

It’s this kind of enthusiasm that eventually brought Ms Williams to the attention of the care home group’s management team, along with letters from the residents themselves.

Jen Roberts, Pendine Park’s new business and operations manager said of Ms Williams' visits: “She came to us first as a volunteer and was so enthusiastic and kind. Some of the residents wrote in to say how much they’d miss her if she didn’t stay.

“She’s now working across all the Wrexham homes in our organisation and it’s definitely been a win-win situation for everyone – residents, staff and Sharon herself who is expanding her knowledge of working in social care.”

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