“I have so much confidence now that I live at Buddleia House.” Meet Marilyn.

When Marilyn had a fall at home and sadly broke her hip, the next step was to move into a care home. 3 years later, Marilyn is a vital part of running the Buddleia House office – and is happier than ever! This is Marilyn’s story… 

“In 2021, I had a fall at home, and honestly, it completely knocked my confidence. I’d had a few issues with my health, and I knew it was time to get some more help. I was sent to a rehab facility and to another care home, but I didn’t feel comfortable there. I researched and decided I wanted to be put on the waiting list for Buddleia House, a new care home in Hucknall with an excellent reputation.

“When I first moved into Buddleia House, I was extremely nervous. I shouldn’t have been so worried. The staff and residents were lovely and friendly, constantly checking that I was okay and encouraging me to join in many activities, like painting, handbells and building parts for the cruise ship.

“This fit in nicely with what I was used to. I’ve always been a busy person. When I was younger, I had lots of jobs – I used to hem trousers at Taylors, I worked at Gerrard’s soap factory, I worked alongside my mum at George Masons, and I used to stack and price the Pick and Mix sweets at Woolworths. As you can tell, I’ve always liked being busy.

“When I told the Companions at Buddleia about my working life and how I missed it, they were keen to give me a position to be proud of. I started by sitting with the lovely ladies in the office, where they gave me some envelopes to put stamps on. It was good fun and made me feel like I had a purpose.

“I continued to do this job, and now, a few years later, I’ve been given a name badge and job description. I even started sitting in on interviews with potential employees. I got to ask questions, such as, ‘What’s your favourite chocolate bar?’ and ‘Why do you want to work at Buddleia House?’. I enjoyed getting to know them, showing them around the care home, and giving them a tour of the gardens. It’s good fun!

“I’ve asked for another job too. I liked working for Woolworths in my younger days and asked if I could run the Buddleia House sweet shop. I will soon oversee stocking and replenishing the pick-n-mix and filling the jars up, and I can’t wait.

“I love that Buddleia House took the time to get to know me: my past history, my likes, dislikes and the hobbies I was eager to pursue. I always wake up knowing I have real friends I can confide in and enjoy doing activities with. Sometimes, I feel sad that I’m not at home, but for now, I love being a part of the Buddleia House family.”

For more information about Buddleia House and how they can help your loved one, contact 0115 968 0900 or email them at buddleiahouse@milfordcare.co.uk.