Jul 2021
Meet Sam, Buckland Court’s Head of Care
Sam Emm has been at Buckland Court since 2012 and plays a key part in supporting the residents and their families.
As part of our series of events for Care Home Open Week, Buckland Court’s Head of Care spoke to us about his role and the challenges he’s faced over the last year and a half.
Sam began his career with OSJCT as a carer and soon began to progress. He became a Shift Leader, then Care Leader, before being promoted again to Head of Care, a position he still enjoys today because of the variety.
He told us, “My favourite part would be helping the residents, making sure they’re happy. If there’s one little thing I can do that makes their life that little bit better, I feel like I’ve achieved something.”
Sam’s role covers the whole care picture at Buckland Court, from looking after the residents’ welfare and ensuring all their needs are met, to supporting the team of carers to do what they need to do. He covers the auditing side, and is something of a problem solver which he admits can be both a good and a bad thing.
As everyone knows, the pandemic has been very challenging for us all, particularly those living in care homes and their families, who have not been able to see each other as they have previously. Sam says that time has been the most difficult of his career and the hardest part was supporting residents through the lockdown restrictions when they were unable to see their families and come and go as they please.
Thankfully, with restrictions easing now, residents can see their families once more, even if it takes some time for things to return to ‘normal.’
Asked what’s next work-wise, Sam has no plans to change anything immediately, though he sees his long term goals remaining in care, either in nursing or as a paramedic.
Out of work, you’ll find Sam walking and exploring new places. He loves to travel and is interested in architecture and history, especially the Viking period.