Camelot Care’s dementia care home in Wellington, Somerset, Camelot House and Lodge, has appointed Zillah Oakes as manager, taking over from Sam Paddon who remains a member of the leadership team after seven years managing the home.

Since 2019, Oakes has managed a 66-bed nursing home in Exeter. She started her career as a care assistant in a nursing home straight from school, then studied at Bournemouth University, graduating in 2003 with a degree in clinical nursing, and has been working as a registered manager since 2019. 

Zillah’s husband Graham manages Camelot’s newest home, Chestnut Lodge, which opened in April in the couple’s home town of Yeovil.

Oakes said: “I was keen to work for Camelot Care because of their excellent reputation for providing good person-centred care to residents with dementia. I am really impressed by their great track record for end-of-life care, especially having learned that last year Camelot House and Lodge was awarded the Gold Standards Framework prestigious quality hallmark, their fourth accreditation following consecutive inspections in 2013, 2016 and 2019 when the home also passed with flying colours; an amazing achievement on the national stage.

“It’s very important to me to be part of a team that really cares, not just about providing quality care, but also about the little everyday things that bring a smile to people’s faces. What I enjoy most about my work is spending time with the residents, seeing them smile and listening to their stories. I feel privileged to be able to do that.”

Paul Teasdale, director of Camelot Care, said: “Zillah is a great asset to our team and a very capable manager. It says a lot for our organisation that we’ve attracted two great managers like Zillah and Graham to join us within the space of a year, and it’s reassuring to know that Graham, who joined us first, must have been so positive when discussing work with his wife that she decided she’d like to come and work with us as well.”