From baker to Shrewsbury care assistant – Tenneal’s story

We would like to introduce you to Tenneal, Care Assistant for Radfield Home Care Shrewsbury.

Tell us about your previous care work/career background.

I joined Radfield Home Care back in February 2020 which also coincided with the dreadful floods in Shrewsbury – there have been some quite challenging times since I started in our local towns and villages. Previous to this I had worked at a local home care agency but unfortunately I was under a lot of pressure to drive long distances to each client as they were in much more rural locations.

I used to manage a bakery in Shrewsbury and I’m actually a fully trained baker!

What has inspired you to want to be involved in the adult social care sector.

My partner and I bought a house and the bakery required me to work really unusual hours and I felt I needed a change. I’m now training to become a teaching assistant via an on-line course whilst working at Radfield.

I’m currently still working on my assignments, and working for Radfield 4 days a week 7 – 7pm, so this fits in well with my college course. It gives me the flexibility I need and also very relevant experience. The long term plan, when I have passed my exams, is to pick up caregiver work in the evening around school time.

Why Radfield Home Care?

My gran used to work in the old Radfield Residential Care Home for many years looking after the residents, and following that worked at Shrewsbury hospital, before retiring. So I had heard about the company through family connections. It has also got a very good reputation in the area for looking after its staff. So you could say I’m from a family of carers or caregivers.

How did you get to hear about the job opportunity?

I saw the Shrewsbury job opportunity on the Indeed website.

What are your career aspirations?

Once I gain my teaching assistant qualifications, I’m looking forward to working in a school environment and being able to continue with my care calls during evenings and weekends.

Any special moments with clients you would like to share?

I am very grateful and privileged to care for one particular lady who lives in a care home called Ottley House in Shrewsbury. I visit her in her care home room and we visit the surrounding Shrewsbury gardens together. We generally chat, read poetry, I do her hair and nails. We also do lots of craft activities together which she enjoys. I spend quite a lot of time with her – 5 hours a day 6 days a week, so we now have a very special relationship!

It’s nice to see her living independently from the residential home and its activities, and my visits make her smile a lot, both always sharing funny stories together. She has a book of friendship poems that we both love to read together, this always puts a smile on her face! I know everyday the care support and home care companionship services I provide makes a significant difference.

What do you love most about your job and working for Radfield Home Care?

The Shrewsbury home care office and my colleagues have always been very good at offering peer support. Everybody is really nice and made me feel very welcome. I’m really glad I’m working closely with one client in particular and building a special bond with her. The locality of the Ottley residential care home makes it easy for me to travel to and it never feels like care home work, it always feels like I’m visiting a special friend!

The home care assistant’s role is extremely rewarding, it’s a good feeling always when I have seen my client and leave her feeling a lot happier and pleased with the service. I love being a care professional!