The Post: Care Home Manager, Copelands & Kirk House, Belfast Central Mission
The Post Holder: Andrea Selby
A work placement helped Andrea Selby find her calling as a Care Home Manager.
Give a brief outline of your career to date.
I have been a care home manager for 30 years. I started out when I was 21 and my first manager role was for a small family-run care home in England with only 22 beds. I then went on to manage a 42-bed care home for the next ten years and then got promoted to be a troubleshooting manager so I was working all over England, turning around homes that weren’t meeting compliance levels.
I moved to Northern Ireland ten years ago and started working at Kirk House, Belfast Central Mission’s (BCM) residential care home in east Belfast. I was the registered Manager for seven years, and during my time there, opened Memory Lane, the dementia-specific wing. I was also at the forefront of training the staff in effective and empathetic dementia care.
I left Kirk House briefly for maternity leave to have my son Richard and then, in 2021, I had the pleasure of opening Copelands, BCM’s new flagship residential care home outside Millisle. I am currently the Interim Service Manager across both Copelands and Kirk House so am effectively manager of both services. I am heavily involved in all aspects of resident care, relative/care partner relations and I continue to play a key role in the dementia training across the board.
What was your favourite subject at school?
I loved needlework while at school but also enjoyed chemistry.
Did you go on to further/higher education, if so, what did you study and where?
I completed my qualifications in Health and Social Care at college then undertook BTEC HSC, followed by Registered Care Home Manager training and NVQ Assessors award.
When I moved to Northern Ireland, I completed my Level 5 Diploma in Management: Residential Care to convert my previous English qualifications to be able to work over here.
I am also a facilitator for Best Practice in Dementia Care with Stirling University, and I have trained 40+ staff at Kirk House and I am currently training staff at Copelands.
In addition, I am a Dementia Friendly Communities trainer with the Alzheimer’s Society and have trained more than 100 people over the years including staff, residents, relatives, school children and local communities and businesses, in order to become ‘dementia friends’ to increase understanding of people’s individual journeys with dementia.
How did you get into your area of work?
Totally by accident! I originally wanted to work with children but ended up doing a work placement in an older people’s home and it was that experience that made me realise that’s where I belonged.
Is this what you always wanted to do?
I always thought I would work in a professional childcare setting.
Were there any particular essential qualifications or experience needed?
To work in residential care, you must have the basics of enthusiasm and a want to make life comfortable for the residents, particularly those with dementia. I definitely think you need a good sense of humour, and you need to be easygoing, calm and patient. A sparkling personality always helps too!
In terms of actual qualifications, those I have mentioned before are all useful in terms of working your way up the ladder.
Are there alternative routes into the job?
It is certainly possible to progress through care roles. I started as a carer at 18 and was promoted to Senior Carer very quickly, then was a registered manager from the age of 21.
What are the main personal skills your job requires?
Without a doubt, you need a caring attitude, compassion, enthusiasm, and sparkle. A good work ethic as part of a team and wanting to make a difference. I enjoy meeting new people and training staff to be the best they can be so they can carry out their jobs to make a difference to the lives of those they care for.
To be a good manager, you also need to be a good listener, a bit of a social worker, a counsellor and a friend.
What does a typical day entail?
It’s a bit of a cliché, but no day is the same. My role requires a lot of organising and planning, but I need to embrace change as every day brings a new situation.
This job gives me great satisfaction. I love that I have the ability to promote positive change to the residents in my care and staff in my team.
What are the best and most challenging aspects of the job?
The best part of my job is undoubtedly the people, both my residents and staff team and I work hard to ensure person-centred outcomes are met.
Together with Sharon McIlroy, the Manager at Copelands, we have developed the ‘Buttons Model of Care’, which has changed the way we care, support and ensure activities are carried out. This has been inspired by the Household model which focuses on smaller ‘families’ of ten residents within the care home.
Over the years at Kirk House and now at Copelands, we have been focused on establishing a massive intergenerational project with local schools, youth clubs and also BCM’s day nursery in Belfast, the award-winning Puddleducks. These allow for wonderful relationship building and adds to our bumper calendars of activities throughout the year for both homes.
Unfortunately, the worst aspect of my job is around staffing, whether sorting emergency cover for the rota, pressure around recruitment and then retaining staff in the current climate. We are lucky to have had staff working with us for nearly 30 years which is testament to the positive and supportive working environment we strive to maintain.
Why is what you do important?
I feel this job is so important because working in a care home can change peoples’ lives, can make their time with us fulfilling and allow them to lead as normal a life as possible.
How has Covid-19 impacted your business/role?
Covid-19 has negatively impacted every aspect of care home life, but most pertinently the mental health of our residents, who had no real contact with the outside world for so long during lockdowns, which is thankfully starting to improve.
It was during the pandemic that the construction and fit-out of Copelands was happening, which provided us with daily challenges. This journey of establishing a brand-new care home has been an interesting one, with new barriers and obstacles to face, whether daily testing, visiting while trying to socially distance and show potential new residents around our home.
What adjustments have you had to make?
The adjustments are in every daily task, from the wearing of PPE to the rigorous testing of staff, residents and visitors. Every seemingly easy task has become more difficult and is no longer straightforward.
What advice would you give anyone looking to follow a similar career path?
If you are hardworking and want to help change peoples’ lives, then this could be the job for you. By working in this sector, you can really make a difference and be an ambassador for change by delivering good care.
If you weren’t doing this what would you like to do?
At this stage, I don’t think there is another job I would like to do.
What is the one piece of advice you would give to yourself on your first day?
Be more prepared, take a step back and try to introduce change slowly. Don’t try to change the world in the first day.
Describe your ideal day off.
I enjoy spending time with my son and partner, making lots of new, happy memories.
And finally, what’s the key to any successful job search?
Find a job where your employer values you, and where the professional beliefs align with your own, to always put the standard of care for people first in everything they do. Find out what training they offer to ensure they support staff development at all levels. BCM has been doing this with me since I started and continue across the staff team and I have felt nurtured and encouraged by everyone around me, particularly the organisation’s senior team.
Keep up to date with the latest news and views on the NI job market and more by following the nijobfinder blog.
Follow nijobfinder on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to see the latest jobs and to ensure your dream job won’t pass you by.