Vicki meets… Jackie Cridlin, home admissions advisor, Lakeview Grange

Jackie Cridlin, Home Admissions Advisor, Lakeview Grange

How did you come to your current role?

I have always been a ‘Mother Hen’, but when I left school I worked as a Girl Friday on a South London newspaper.

Then I was an Advertising Manager on a magazine for seventeen years. When I was pregnant I wanted to do fewer hours and less travelling, so I became a scheme manager for a housing programme for the elderly.

Promoted to regional manager, that’s when I started to understand about care homes.

One of the directors for Cinnamon [care homes] told me that they were building a new home close to where I then lived. I helped open the home, but then along came the pandemic.

This was such a difficult time for us. Many people left care work, and I don’t blame them – it was awful for care

homes. It’s taken the industry a long time to come back from Covid.

I knew Cinnamon was building a new home in Chichester. My husband and I were looking at

property here, so we drove past the home, which was really near where we were looking at buying.

The next thing I knew I was heading down here!

What is does your role entail?

There has to be trust and continuity with care, so I am the face of Lakeview Grange and the go-to

person for residents and their families. I go on a journey with them from the moment that they

make an enquiry. It’s important that people know that I’m passionate about what I do, and that they

feel reassured that I will hold their hand every step of the way. I love that we have such positive

feedback and reviews – that says it all to me. And I love what I do. It is a privilege to work with such

wonderful people.

Do you support residents with particular needs?

Supporting residents through this next part of their lives, we enable hobbies and companionship and

offer day-to-day support. We also care for those who have a diagnosis of dementia.

Does Lakeview Grange interact with the community?

We like to bring the outside in. We have various volunteer schemes and we also do a lot of

intergenerational work. Local schoolchildren come in to visit residents, which is really lovely

experience for them all.

What advice do you have for anyone considering a care home?

Check the Care Quality Commission’s inspection rating for the home. When you visit, observe

everything – do the residents look happy and well cared for? Are the carers interacting with

residents? Ask questions directly to residents and carers. And do make sure that you understand

what is included in the fees and when costs might escalate.

Any particularly memorable moments during your career?

I once worked with a very exclusive care home. A new resident asked if she could bring a favourite

painting and I said yes; of course. I was surprised when it arrived in a security van. And then I

discovered that it was an original Constable!

Further information: www.cinnamoncc.com/care-homes/lakeview-grange

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