Care managers go extra mile

Sue Hargreaves (left) and Susan Reynolds.

SUE Hargreaves and Susan Reynolds have gone the extra mile to help elderly residents settle into a new sheltered housing complex.

They have made sure that the upheaval of moving has been stress-free as possible for people at the Tandle View Court, Royton.

Now the managers have been nominated for a Pride in Oldham by resident Patricia McGuigan who said: “Apart from taking care of the elderly, they have made sure as far as possible, above and beyond what the job is, that we have had a good transition into the new building .”

Tandle View Court opened as part of a £400 million transformation of Oldham’s sheltered housing.

As well as catering for residents of the old Whittaker Street and other estates, it also has people living there while their own sheltered housing schemes are completed.

Sue (47) previously worked as a carer but became a manager years after developing arthritis.

She said: “I love working with the elderly. We work hard but the benefits we get back from the residents — they really appreciate what we do.

“We have a right little community, with bingo two times a week, a shop that the residents have opened, coffee mornings, a restaurant, Wii sports, a hair salon and a well-being centre where they can go and have a massage.

“It is beautiful here, like a hotel. One of the residents who lived in Lancaster House had been a recluse for 22 years. We couldn’t get her over here.

“We kept going over to persuade her that this would be brilliant. It wasn’t easy but since she came here a whole new world has opened for her.”

Susan (59) has been a manager for more than 22 years and added: “I do enjoy it. They are not just tenants, they are friends.

“I am shocked at the nomination and it is a lovely surprise.”