Marzena Chmielewska-Akinola, head housekeeper at Aria Care’s Mill House Nursing Home in Chipping Campden, shares how she goes the extra mile

Tell us a bit about your background – how did you get into care housekeeping?

I started my journey in the care sector in 2010 when I first came to UK and started working as a healthcare assistant at Mill House. I was a care assistant for about five years. When I lost my grandma in Poland, I was angry with myself that I hadn’t been with her as much as I wanted. Instead of caring for my grandma, I had been caring for everybody else, and I was no longer happy as a care worker. I stayed with Mill House but moved to housekeeping, as I didn’t want to leave this place, and I was happy again. It was a different job, but I could still be close to our residents. I was a domestic assistant for another six years, working mostly in my favourite role, laundry, and eventually became head housekeeper.

How do you go about meeting the needs of residents?

I always ask our residents how they would like things to be done. For example, if they tell me that they like their room to be done in the morning while they are out for breakfast, I will do that for them. If they would like an extra pillow for a good night’s sleep, I will make sure they have it. If a resident is unable to tell me about their needs, I speak to their family and friends, and our carers and nurses are also good source of information.

What’s a typical day like?

Every day is different, with new challenges and different tasks. We try to keep things running smoothly by having one housekeeping assistant on each floor and one in the laundry. I provide extra help on both floors and in the laundry. I make sure that we have enough products in stock, and that carers and nurses have their wipes, gloves and red bags and yellow bags in place for different kinds of waste. I check and answer emails, prepare show rooms or prepare rooms for new arrivals. We also help to prepare tables in dining rooms after lunch and occasionally help with activities.

What is the most challenging part of your job?

When a resident is not happy with us. Sometimes this is through no fault of our own, someone is just in a mood and we have to accept it. We don’t always have to clean a room straight away, we can wait for a better moment, but sometimes it is a must and we have to come in and clean even if the resident is not happy about it. However, we make sure to respect them and have a chat with them while we work.

Is there anything that would surprise people about your job?

People are usually surprised with how magically and quickly we can make a room look good and clean again. They are also surprised by how much laundry we do in a day.

Has anything changed since you started your role?

We do more e-learning now, which has enabled me to learn new skills and expand my knowledge across various subjects.

What is special about the care home you work for?

Mill House is like my second home. It is not just a place of work, it’s a place where I spend so much time with people I like to work with and with residents who are like my own grandparents.

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

You need to be fit to be a good head housekeeper, as it’s not a job where you sit much at a desk. You need to be happy in your job, because our job is also giving a smile to our residents. You need to have a good eye for detail and be quick. You also need to be a good leader, as you are in charge of a small group of people.