The housekeeper plays an important role in maintaining the wellbeing of residents and staff. Deborah Warren, domestic assistant at Doddington Lodge care home in Shropshire, shares how she goes the extra mile

How did you get into care housekeeping?

By a twist of fate. For five years I worked in residential and mobile care for the elderly and people with special needs. For a further 15 years, I worked with children in schools with autism and challenging behaviour. When lockdown happened I became a carer for my mum in her independent living home.

When lockdown finally ended, I applied for a job at Doddington Lodge as a carer, but because I had a lockdown dog with separation anxiety and could only work four hours a day, this wasn’t the job position for me. Then a job came up as a domestic assistant and the hours fitted me perfectly. I was very nervous because I hadn’t had experience in this field before.

How do you meet the needs of residents?

I realised there were some residents whose clothes I wasn’t washing because they were not handling them over to the laundry trolleys.

I wrote a questionnaire and explained to the residents that it was to see if there was anything that they needed from me working in the laundry. I found some residents were very anxious about their clothes being lost, or that they were embarrassed to hand over soiled underwear.

I explained that I would put a bag in their room, collect that bag every morning and I would label, wash and bring their clothes back to them the same day, rather than having their clothes mixed with all the others on the laundry trolleys.

Now I collect all the individual bags from those residents who are particularly anxious and wash those first. I then go and collect the home’s laundry trollies. I put the clothing in the driers while the rest of the laundry is being done, iron them, and get them back to happy residents. No one is anxious about handing in their clothes anymore.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

All the residents are always so grateful and happy when they get their clothes back. It’s wonderful. It sounds like hard work but it’s not.

What are the most challenging parts of being a care housekeeper?

The most challenging part of my role is having days off! I like to be there to make sure that the laundry is running smoothly, which it does because the care and domestic staff make sure that it is, to the best they can.

What would surprise people about your job?

At first my friends thought the job wouldn’t meet my need to engage and interact with other people, and I thought I would be stuck in a laundry room, washing, ironing and putting clothes in boxes. It has been far from that.

Is there a time when you feel you have made a real difference?

I constantly wonder how I can improve on what I can do. I am lucky enough to have built up relationships with the residents. I sit and listen to what is happening in their lives, and they ask me about mine. My son got married and they couldn’t wait to hear about it. Bringing the outside world into their lives is great for the wellbeing of us all. Residents with dementia recognise me as the wash lady, and some help me put towels and bedding away in the linen cupboard. It’s very rewarding to see the satisfaction of the residents helping others.

What is special about the care home you work for?

Teamwork. The domestic team, our amazing head leader, laundry, and the cooks all talk to care staff, and we have very approachable managers and receptionist. Everyone has a role, and everyone is valued.

What skills and talents do you need to be a great housekeeper?

If you’re a person who likes people and has respect for others, then you are halfway there. You need to have patience with the fact that everyone is different and understand what is needed from you by the resident, that’s important.

What would you say to people thinking about working in care housekeeping?

I wish I had done it years ago. I’m proud that I work in a laundry because you are the person that gives people their identity. I was brought up by two deaf parents and my mum worked in a laundry for 20 years. When I told her that I had got a job in a care home laundry, I’d never seen her so happy and proud. She said to me “You can make a difference.” When my Nan was in care, she was always getting the wrong clothes delivered back after washing. Mum said to me “Your nan never wore her own clothes – you make sure your residents do!”