A Manchester based care home has recently celebrated the services of one of their longest serving staff members.
Pauline Matthews joined Methodist Homes (MHA) as a care assistant in December 2000 and worked at MHA Handsworth care home in Altrincham for 17 years, before transferring to MHA Laurel Court in Didsbury.
MHA Laurel Court provides residential, residential dementia and general nursing care for 91 residents.
The staff at MHA Laurel Court held a surprise party for Pauline where she was presented some flowers and a cake.
The 62-year-old said: “After being made redundant from my previous job, a friend of mine mentioned working in care and that’s how my journey with MHA started.
“Fast forward more than 20 years and I absolutely love what I’m doing. I really hope this will be my last job.
“I worked 17 years at MHA Handsworth on nights, and it was getting a bit too much for me, so I moved to MHA Laurel Court which is closer to me and allows me to work days.
“I really love my job. MHA Laurel Court is a bigger home than MHA Handsworth and at times it can be tough, as it was during the start of the pandemic as I was concerned for my mum who is elderly but we got through it.
“I love looking after people and find it very rewarding, I had no idea of the surprise the staff members had planned for me and it really was beautiful.
“More than 20 years into the role, I can’t see myself doing anything else. My advice to anyone thinking of working in the care sector would be to just give it a try and you never know what might happen.”
