My first working experience with caring for older people in the community was back in 2000 when I started as a ‘Home Help’ with Derbyshire County Council.

I was contracted for 16 hours and thoroughly enjoyed this job. I found it very rewarding, and very challenging on some occasions. I could see the struggles that older people, especially those with dementia, were living with every day. I could see they were very vulnerable and open to various types of abuse. This could quite easily go unnoticed as care was only really put into place if there was more of a physical need, rather than well-being support and prompting to keep their independence.

Unfortunately I have witnessed abuse and whistle-blew on a colleague to ensure that the abuse stopped.

I eventually joined Nicola at Extracare where I trained to become a team Leader. I felt that by gaining more qualifications I could become more involved with a persons care needs, and build relationships with other health professionals. This, in turn would enable me to support the individual even better than my previous job role.

After working at Extracare for a little over 5 years, myself and Justine began our own business, MAE Interventions. We recognised that there was a huge gap in the care sector for a person with dementia. If there was a physical need, a person was able to get a care package virtually with no question. However, there was little support for a person needing social intervention and encouragement for the person to remain independent within their own home.

MAE Interventions is very successful with its customers, but it was recognised that when a person’s dementia progresses, and their needs change or increase, we would need to be registered with CQC to facilitate the extra needs.

This is when Mae Care was born. We see our journey and a person with dementias journey, as being as fluent as possible, and familiarity is important. We strive to provide person centred-care with the persons wishes at the forefront of everything we do.

Qualifications and statutory and mandatory training taken:

Apprenticeship for Management level 3

Diploma 3: Health and Social Care.

Diploma 3: Management

Bradford University: Realising person centred care

NVQ 2: Team Leader Management.

NVQ 2: Health and Social Care.

IIOSH: Managing Health and Safety (valid to 2021)

First aid 3-day course- First responder – 2021

Ofqual Level 2 Independent Advocacy

Dementia Care Level 2(the principles of)

Medications Level 2 (VTQ)

Mental capacity act Level 2 (VTQ)

Safe Guarding of Vulnerable Adults Level 2

Health and Safety in workplace Level 2 (VTQ)

Diet, Nutrition and Hydration Level 2 (VTQ)

Equality Act 2010

Basic food safety awareness

Equality and Diversity

Basic Life support

COSHH

Diabetes awareness

Infection control

Personal Protective equipment P.P.E

Work in a person centred way

Duty of candour

Fire safety awareness