A wealth of experience

When Michelle Taylor joined the care sector she brought with her a wealth of experience from other workplace environments.

And that, coupled with her own life experience, helped her to hit the ground running as a care assistant at Manor Croft, Dewsbury, where she has been voted “Employee of the Month” by fellow staff, residents and families.

The citation praised Michelle for her caring and compassionate nature and the positive atmosphere she creates through always having a smile on her face.

“I get great job satisfaction from helping people everyday,” said Michelle. “I always try to go in with a smile and it’s lovely when a resident smiles back, we say hello, have a chat and start the day positively.”

Michelle trained as a hairdresser at college and then worked in various jobs in retail before taking a break to raise her family of three children. When she decided to return to work she felt the time was right for a change and joined the care sector in 2007. She began working with children with disabilities before moving on to residential care homes and joining Manor Croft in 2024 working 7.30am-7.30pm three or four days a week.

“It’s a long day but that is how I prefer it,” she said. “I’ve learned so much in this role, whether that’s the medical or social side of helping people and various conditions including dementia, Parkinsons, or mobility issues.”

Younger staff with less experience will often turn to Michelle for advice and regard her as their “work mum”.

“I think it’s lovely they feel able to come to me with a problem whether that’s work or personal life,” she said. “I’m also open to any new ideas they may have of how we can improve things. Making residents feel as safe and comfortable as possible is what the job is all about.”

Michelle, 53, likes the residents of Manor Croft to feel at home with the freedom to make their own choices.

“The first job is to help residents get washed and dressed, enjoy breakfast and be ready for the day,” said Michelle. “Then it’s up to them what they want to do, some like sitting in the coffee lounge reading or listening to music or watching TV, others prefer to enjoy the many activities laid on or a chance to get some fresh air in the gardens.”

After her shift, Michelle likes to wind down with a warm bath, then enjoy some tv with her daughters, a romantic film or crime series being the favourite viewing. She never has a problem getting up for work the next day and recommends a career in caring to others.

“I’ve worked in various settings and have seen people come and go and you can usually tell within a few days if someone is right for the job, the key is how you interact with residents, you need to be positive and compassionate,” she said.

“Manor Croft is a brilliant place to work, so positive, the residents are lovely, the staff are great and the management very supportive.”

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