West Moors care home director celebrates one year of ownership

Victoria Ricketts, 27, took over as director and manager of Five Gables Care Home with her partner, Samuel Travers, last year after the previous owners retired, having previously worked there as a manager.

She said she fell in love with care work after her working in her first role 10 years ago.

Now, she prides herself on the high level of care and support given to the 12 residents in her care home.

(Image: Victoria Ricketts)

She said it’s a physically and emotionally challenging job but the feedback she’s received has validated her hard work.

“Recently, one of our residents passed away and I received a beautiful handwritten card from her daughter," said Victoria. “She came to us from another care home and unfortunately, she went through a period of neglect at this home, but when she passed away her daughter said we gave her mum back to her.

“Those words really hit home because we make such a difference to people’s lives.”

On 25 March, the care home had a one-year anniversary party with lots of singing, dancing, cake and fish and chips.

Victoria said they are now looking to get a minibus so residents can get out more and connect with the local community.

Five Gables Care Home is one of only four private care homes left in West Moors and Victoria says more needs to be done protect private care homes across the country.

She said increases to national living wages and Employer National Insurance Contributions will make it even more challenging to fund care homes like hers.

“It becomes more and more about the finances and the person just becomes irrelevant to the conversation, which is quite disheartening when we’re working so hard to promote care as an industry and get some recognition for the love and standards of care that we give.”

“The major change needs to come with social care,” said Victoria. “So many people aren’t in a position to pay for their care privately and that’s going to be even more of the case moving forwards.”