Geoff Edwards, recently appointed Director of Operations at Orchard Care Homes, brings with him a lifetime of experience in the care sector going all the way back to his teenage years.
Geoff spent seven years at Southern Cross Healthcare, rising to Area Manager, before progressing into Regional Director and Operations Director roles at Shaw Healthcare, Priory Group and Care UK. Before joining Orchard recently, he was Managing Director of HC-One, the national care home group with more than 270 homes across the UK.
Liverpudlian Geoff could have been tailor-made for his new role at Orchard Care Homes, overseeing the group’s Central region, which covers the North West of England and the Midlands
Geoff admits he was greatly influenced by his mother, who as well as raising her own family, diligently cared for a host of elderly relatives.
Admiring her work ethic, it was no surprise that he himself became a care home assistant at the tender age of 16, before rapidly progressing to becoming the manager of a 34-room care home by the late 1990’s.
He said: “I’ve always wanted to care for people and I still see myself as ‘Geoff the carer’. I wanted to come to Orchard Care Homes as I’d seen it grow and develop, and be talked about in the sector, as well as seeing the great journey they have been on.”
“I have been very impressed Orchard’s Reconnect model of specialist Dementia care; and the commitment to providing residents with the best quality of life at the highest level possible.”
Reconnect Communities are specialist dementia communities operating at a number of Orchard’s homes. These communities offer a one-to-one personalised approach which helps people living dementia find comfort and joy from their past, with reminders of their, career, family and hobbies. Meaningful interactions and engagements are prioritised so that every individual benefits from a living environment that is tailor-made.
Geoff added that he was attracted to working for Orchard by its family-orientated approach to its care; wanting to get loved-ones fully involved in the lives of those living in their homes.
He highlighted the challenges Orchard faces into the future, such as attracting and retaining quality colleagues, as the desire to offer a better service to its residents.
“This has always been a rewarding stimulating career for me, with a chance to make a real difference to people’s lives. I hope to get that across to new colleagues at Orchard; this is a great chance to enjoy a life-long career and to make life better for others – and a chance to be the best at what you do.”
Away from work, Geoff enjoys spending time with family and friends in Liverpool, gardening, and hillwalking in north Wales.
Orchard has invested heavily in modern technologies such as Med E Care (electronic medication management), PCS (electronic care plans), PainChek (AI technology to assess pain) and Access care compliance to help facilitate quality care outcomes and governance.
Orchard Care Homes was named winner of the LaingBuisson Award for Excellence in Large Residential Care last year and also had achieved a 5-star food rating at every home across its portfolio.
For more information on Orchard Care Homes please call 01423 859859.
