The poor care she saw her sister receive after being struck down by a brain tumour was the spur which resulted in Sarah Morrison deciding to become a professional carer.
That was over 12 years and now she is one of the Team Leaders at Middlesbrough Grange.
Sarah has been at Middlesbrough Grange for the bulk of her career, working as a member of the bank staff for two years before being taken on full-time.
From here, she worked her way up to Senior Carer and then Acting Team Leader, before being appointed Team Leader in 2022.
And along the way she has continued to develop herself professionally, achieving her Level 3 in Care when she was aged 57.
Sarah says: “Before becoming a carer I had various jobs, working behind bars, doing school crossing patrols and serving school meals.
“When my sister got her brain tumour, I helped to care for her, but we were unhappy with the professional care she received, for example they didn’t provide a hoist when she needed one.
“This made me think that I didn’t want to see this happen to anyone else, so I decided to become a carer myself and I love what I do.”
As Team Leader, Sarah supervises carers who support our residents, as well as sorting medication, liaising with doctors and other outside agencies, and carrying out our reviews. She also has another string to her bow.
She explains: “I love to sing to and with the residents when I am working as it cheers everyone up.
“Of course, you have bad times when someone you care for passe away or becomes poorly, but these moments are far outweighed by the positive experiences you have as a carer.
“For example, there’s nothing better than chatting to the residents and listening to their stories from when they were younger. That’s very special.”
When she’s not at work, Sarah enjoys spending time with her son and grandson, who she describes as “my world”. She is also currently caring for her brother-in-law who is in palliative care.
And when she has time to herself, she likes nothing better than binge watching on Netflix whilst having a nice drink.
