Inside Lancing Beach Care Home: Meet Our Home Manager

When you walk through the doors of Lancing Beach Care Home, you’ll feel something special, warmth, laughter, and a true sense of community. That’s exactly what our Home Manager Jacqui wants everyone to experience, whether you’re visiting a loved one, thinking about making Lancing Beach your home, or joining our team.

We sat down with her to learn more about her incredible career journey, her passion for care, and her vision for creating a home where everyone, residents, families, and staff, feel valued and supported.

You’ve had such a varied and inspiring career, what first drew you into care?

I started my Nursing course just before my 18th birthday! I came from Liverpool to London to start my training, and I immediately fell in love with nursing. I did the old-fashioned style of training, lots of hands-on ward experience, and then went into Accident and Emergency at the Royal London.

I loved the fast pace, but what really drew me in was the people, especially the older patients, those who’d had a fall or just needed someone to listen. I realised that I found so much reward in helping people beyond the medical side, seeing the person, not just the patient. That’s what eventually led me into social care.

Your career has taken you all over the world. Tell us a bit about that.

Yes, I spent six years in Kosovo after the war, working for a British children’s charity called Hope and Homes for Children. I helped set up children’s shelters, worked with UNICEF and the government, and even supported the Prime Minister’s office on anti-trafficking policies.

It was one of the most humbling and life-changing experiences of my life, seeing communities rebuild and creating small family homes for children who had nowhere else to go. I’ll always be grateful for that chapter.

What inspired you to move into care home management?

When I returned to the UK, I worked in different clinical and management roles, I even on Harley Street working in cosmetics, but something was missing. I wanted to find that deeper sense of purpose again.

In 2018, I joined a brand-new care home as a dementia manager, and from the very first day, I thought, “This is it.” It just clicked. The relationships you build with residents, their families, and your team are unlike anything else. It’s incredibly meaningful work, you become part of people’s lives in such an important way.

What makes Lancing Beach so special, in your view?

There’s something very special about this home. From the moment I joined Anavo, I felt I could truly be myself, which is so important. The team has been warm, genuine, and supportive right from day one, and that feeling flows through everything we do here.

We’re creating a home that’s full of laughter, where everyone feels equal and valued. The community has already shown so much interest and support; the majority of our staff are local, which makes it feel even more personal and a community.

And we’re not just talking about care; we’re talking about living well. From on-site physiotherapy and armchair exercise programmes to activities, everything we do is about helping residents live life to the fullest.

What is your approach to building and maintaining family relationships, why is it important to you?

For me it’s all about trust, communication, and visibility. Families are entrusting us with something incredibly precious, their loved one, and I never take that lightly.

I love learning about each resident’s story, who they were before the diagnosis, their passions, their family history. Every person is a book waiting to be read, and when you understand that story, you can deliver truly person-centred care.

I also make sure my door is always open. Whether it’s a quick chat, a photo update from an activity, or a difficult conversation, honesty and openness build confidence and trust.

And how about your staff? What’s your leadership style like?

Very hands-on! I’ll happily roll up my sleeves, peel vegetables, or help answer a call bell. No job is beneath anyone here, we’re one team. I have kept my nursing qualification up to date so that I can be hands on and help when needed.

I believe in visibility, gratitude, and support. A simple “thank you” goes a long way. I also know how emotionally demanding this work can be, so I make sure everyone has someone to talk to. I want Lancing Beach to be a place where our staff feel proud, respected, and appreciated, because when they feel good, that shines through in the care we give.

Can you share a story that captures what care means to you?

Yes, there is one that always stays with me, and the story is from my first care home as a manager during COVID. We had a gentleman in his 90s whose wife was moving in. They’d been together since school, never apart. But because of restrictions, he wasn’t allowed to visit.

I couldn’t bear the thought of him standing outside in the cold every day, so I made him our “volunteer assistant.” We gave him a name badge, an armchair, and meals, he came in through the fire exit next to her room, safely and privately. He stayed by her side until she passed.

He later told me that being able to spend that time with her saved him too. For me, that’s what care is all about, doing what’s right, with compassion and creativity, to make sure people feel loved and supported.

What’s your hope for Lancing Beach in the future?

I want Lancing Beach to be a home where people love to live and love to work. When grandchildren and family dogs pop in and everyone’s smiling, that’s when you know you’ve created something special. I want families to walk in and immediately feel that this is the right place. And for our team to wake up happy to come to work, because they know they’re making a difference. I feel incredibly lucky, everything has aligned to bring me here.

Join us at Lancing Beach Care Home

If you’re looking for a care home where your loved one will be truly known, supported, and valued, or if you’re considering a career where you can make a meaningful difference every day, Lancing Beach would love to welcome you.

Click here to get in touch to arrange a visit, meet the team, or find out more about life at Lancing Beach Care Home. Sometimes, the right place just feels right from the moment you walk through the door.