Home care co-founder retires after 30 years service

Janice King, the co-founder of Manorcourt Homecare, is retiring after working for 30 years in the sector and says she is leaving the business in “good hands.”

Ms King helped set up Manorcourt Homecare in 1999 and after expanding to 11 branches, it now delivers specialist care and support services in East Anglia and Greater London.

Ms King was originally a hairdresser and worked in her own salon when her son wanted to get involved in motocross. She looked for some extra work to help fund the new hobby and started cleaning the kitchens at St Leonard’s Court Care Home in Mundford three evenings a week.

Ms King said: “I loved the residents in the care home from day one and really looked forward to going to work – the people who owned the home could see that and asked if I wanted to try some care shifts.

“There was no looking back for me. I was a bit naïve to start with but soon learnt what was involved. Care is hard work but so very rewarding.”

Soon Ms King gave up her hairdressing business for a full time career in care where it became obvious to her that a different type of care was needed – home care.

“At this point, I was working in the care home full time but we then had one local lady who really needed extra care but would not come to live in the home so we agreed to put a plan together to go to her.

“This was in the early 1990s, there was no such thing as a home care service at that time. I used to visit her in the morning and help her get up, then work in the care home all day before going back to help this lady get to bed.”

Gradually more people wanted a carer to go out to their homes and the business grew. Manorcourt Homecare was set up and the business concentrated on the home care side of things.

Ms King was critical in the growth of the company, from its first few clients to an established home care provider now with approximately 1800 clients. She progressed with the business, becoming a shareholder and eventually operations director.

'I know I need to think about myself and my family'

Ms King has been a motivational leader and a role model within Healthcare Homes Group, sharing her expertise in all matters of home care.

“Work has been my life and taken up most my time for the past 30 years – I have allowed it to, I was always on the end of the phone and loved what I was doing.

"But after the last couple of years with the Covid-19 pandemic and challenges to my own health, I know I need to think about myself and my family.

“I have 30 years’ worth of things to sort through in the last few weeks of my time in post and also plan to visit all the branches one final time and see as many staff as I can before I leave.

“We have a fantastic group of managers and amazing teams at Manorcourt Home care – I know am leaving the business in good hands.”

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