No two days as a care professional are the same. Whether you’re a care worker, ancillary worker or care manager, each day will bring with it its own challenge and of course rewards. At just 26 years old Jessica Rooke is the youngest Care Branch Manager at Audley Villages, a retirement village provider.
Name, age, location, job title
Jessica Rooke, 26, Audley Redwood, Care Branch Manager
What does your typical day look like?
No day is ever the same. My day usually starts at 6am, I get my son up, dressed and to childcare, then I’m off to work by 7.30am.
Once I’m in the office I check in with the Audley Redwood care team, see if they have safely arrived at their first jobs of the day. We provide bespoke care plans, so the carers and I work closely together to ensure these meet the evolving needs of our clients. This can be everything from food shopping to end of life care.
As well as the owners in our villages, we also support people in the local community, so we work closely with the local authority on arranging care. I’ll also manage enquiries from clients and carers, look after the pay roll for all my staff and check on client invoicing. It can be busy, but a good mug of tea sees the team through the day!
I’m usually out the office at 5pm. I’ll go pick up my son, make tea and jump back online to check the care team are happy. Care is an around-the-clock job, so we are always there no matter the time.
What do you do in your spare time?
I’m always out and about with my little boy. We love going to the park, soft play and farm. I also go running three times a week, it’s a great way to switch off from the day and clear the mind.
On a Saturday I can’t say no to a girl’s night out if I get the chance, I enjoy a gin and tonic or two!
How do people respond when you tell them what you do? How did you get to where you are today?
People doubted me when I first got into care, they didn’t think I’d last long at all. It’s now been six years and I love my job. It’s not easy, I’ve laughed, cried and there were times when I thought I couldn’t do it, but it all comes down to the team I work with, helping people who need our help. I want to provide all our clients with a support network which allows them to live the best life they can.
I started in care because my uncle was taken ill, little did I know then that I would become a Care Branch Manager, and the youngest at Audley. My progression has been driven by my passion to care for those who can’t be as independent as they would like, seeing incredible improvements in our clients and being there for people when they need us the most.
What’s the most rewarding part of the job?
Knowing that daily we are changing lives for the better.
What’s the most challenging part of the job?
The fact there are people out there we can’t support, it really makes me sad.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
My clients and the team around me, the people make it so much more rewarding. I would advise anyone to work within care – it is such a rewarding job. Knowing you could be the only person that someone could see in a day is heart-breaking but being the person to put a smile on their face makes it all completely worthwhile.
