Care Home Group Looks to Further Educate and Support Staff Following Menopause Survey

A family-run care home group has carried out a survey among its staff to ensure it creates a supportive community that can help educate both men and women about the complexities of the menopause.

Nellsar Care Homes, which operates 13 homes across Kent, Surrey and Essex, is looking to create a more inclusive environment following its efforts to mark World Menopause Day on the 18th October — which saw staff engage in various educational activities designed to encourage open conversation and learning.

The recent survey showed that 60% of respondents wanted to learn more about the perimenopause and menopause and how symptoms can affect people — whilst 70% of those going through the menopause said they haven’t mentioned how it is affecting them to management. The study also found that the number one request for support was access to uniforms with more breathable fabric — followed by having more information available.

The main symptoms reported among staff going through the menopause were hot flushes, reduced concentration, increased stress and reduced confidence in ability. Each of these can make work-life immensely challenging, with Nellsar looking to create a supportive framework to prioritise the wellbeing of its staff.

Viv Stead, Recreation and Well-Being Manager at Nellsar, said: “It was great to get people talking on World Menopause Day and following on from that, we thought the best way to make a genuine difference to our amazing teams is to actually find out their opinions. So we conducted the survey and this has helped identify some great opportunities to further educate teams, and ultimately, dismantle any apprehensions or stigmas of what is a very natural thing for all women.”

Viv continued: “Going through the menopause can be immensely challenging, and sometimes, work-life can become more difficult. I think it is the responsibility of employers to recognise these changes and be as versatile as possible. We want all of our teams to feel valued and supported and we look forward to making even more progress going forward.”