https://www.carehomedigihive.com/

The Care Home DigiHive, Ringwood (2025)

17/08/2025

Your title doesn’t make you a leader.

Your traits do.

In care, your leadership is constantly on display, whether we realise it or not.

So the traits you practise daily become the culture your team lives in.

That’s why I’ve been reflecting on the leadership traits that matter most.

Here are the three that have made the biggest difference in my own leadership journey:

𝟭. 𝗕𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲.

In care, delays cost time, trust and sometimes safety.

Decisive leaders gather the key facts, weigh up the risk, and act.

You won’t always get it perfect. But hesitation creates more problems than a slightly imperfect call made with conviction.

𝟮. 𝗕𝗲 𝗮𝗱𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲.

Staffing gaps. Reg changes. Emergency call-outs.

Plans get thrown out daily.

Adaptable leaders don’t panic and instead know how to reset calmly.

𝟯. 𝗕𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲.

The best leaders spot patterns before they become problems.

✔️You get ahead of risk.

✔️ You support your team before they burn out.

✔️ You don’t just respond—you shape what happens next.

I’m still learning, still adjusting.

But when these three traits become habits, leadership feels less reactive and more grounded.

You can’t lead well in care if you only lead when things are calm.

The real test is how you show up when everything changes at once.

👇 Which of these traits do you lean on most in your role?

16/08/2025

We used to rely on paper in our care homes.

Having good tech seemed like a pipe dream.

Care notes. Fluids. Activities.

And it worked…until it didn’t.

Missed handovers. Incomplete logs. Patterns we just couldn’t see in time.

That’s when we knew something had to change.

Now, digital does the heavy lifting.

It tracks the details we used to miss:

→ If Beryl’s missed her 3pm drink, we know before it becomes an issue.

→ If someone’s skipped every activity this week, it doesn’t slip under the radar.

Tech hasn’t replaced the care team.

It’s helped them to do their job even better,

But let’s be honest, collecting data isn’t the hard bit.

It’s using it that makes the difference.

Here’s what’s changed since we started acting on it:

✅ Retrained teams where med rounds were slipping.
✅ Spotted early trends in nutrition and wellbeing, before they escalated.
✅ Flagged declining care plan quality and fixed it fast.
✅ Shared learnings across homes, not just in silos.

The action that data inspires matters the most.

For me, the point of going digital isn’t just about efficiency.

It’s delivering care that’s more responsive, more joined-up, and more human.

P.S.

We’re in the early-launch phase of our brand new digital leadership course. If you’d like to join us, feel free to send me a message for more information.

15/08/2025

You can waste thousands on care home tech without even realising it.

The invoices keep coming… but the results don’t.

It’s not that the systems are bad.

It’s that money quietly drains away through hidden inefficiencies.

Here are 3 ways care home owners waste money on tech – and how to stop it.

𝟭 – 𝗣𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝘂𝘀𝗲.

• Dormant accounts for staff who’ve left.
• Tools still active after trial periods ended.
• Overlapping systems that do the same thing.

Audit every platform quarterly. Cancel what’s not being used.

𝟮 – 𝗟𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗼𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗱𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗲𝗿𝗼𝗱𝗲 𝗥𝗢𝗜.

You’ve bought the tool, but staff only use 30% of its features.

Why? No clear accountability and no one driving consistent usage.

Without strong onboarding and follow-up, your tech becomes a costly spreadsheet.

𝟯 – 𝗙𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀.

• Data manually copied between platforms.
• Reports living in silos.
• No integrations between care planning, HR, and finance systems.

Every duplicate task costs time, and time is money.

Even basic integrations can free hours each week.

If you want your tech spend to deliver returns, treat it like any other investment:

Review it, measure it, and optimise it relentlessly.

That’s exactly what we focus on inside The Care Home DigiHive community.

We help owners improve their care home outcomes using technology.

👉 Join us here [link] and make sure every pound you spend on tech works as hard as you do.

15/08/2025

Empty rooms are expensive rooms.

That’s why we started filling ours before they even existed.

I’ve been sharing a few posts over the last few months about our recent renovation at one of our care homes, Oaklands.

We tried a few new ideas that seemed to resonate with the care home community.

One of our biggest experiments that had a positive result, was filling places for all 4 new rooms before the work was even finished.

Here’s what worked for us, and might work for you too:

𝟭 – 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆.

We began talking about the new rooms months in advance, especially with local families.

We also posted updates on social media and shared progress photos.

By the time we were ready, people already knew what was coming.

𝟮 – 𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲.

Rather than saying “4 new beds available”, we talked about what those rooms meant – more community spaces, tailored activities, and improved comfort for residents.

It was about life in the home, not just the room itself.

𝟯 – 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲.

We told every current family about the extension and encouraged them to pass the word on.

Referrals from people who already trust you carry far more weight than any ad.

When the builders left, we already had a waiting list.

The big takeaway?

You don’t need an extension to do this.

You can create anticipation, communicate the benefits, and activate your network for any available room.

It can make a big difference to occupancy.

14/08/2025

Inspection day shouldn’t feel like a fire drill.

Good preparation happens in the consistent daily routines.

Having spoken to so many care home leaders, I’ve learned that the best homes I’ve seen don’t scramble.

They’ve built habits and systems that stand up to scrutiny, because they live them, day in and day out.

Here’s what’s worked for us to stay inspection-ready all year round:

𝟭. 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗻𝗼𝘄, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿.

✔️ Up-to-date policies.
✔️ Clear version history.
✔️ Evidence stored as you go, not shoved in a folder the night before.

If you’re organised on a Tuesday in March, you’ll be calm when the inspector shows up in October.

𝟮. 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘆.

Don’t wait for a safeguarding issue to book a refresher.

Build recurring training into your calendar.

𝟯. 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗳𝗹𝗼𝘄.

Link checks to what staff already do — like logging fridge temps during meds.

Give clear ownership (not “everyone’s job” — that means no one’s job).

Review little and often. No need to do a mountain of paperwork if you never let it pile up.

𝟰. 𝗙𝗶𝘅 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗳𝗳 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁.

An incomplete MAR chart. A missed cleaning log.

Sort it. Log it. Move on.

Daily fixes avoid weekly chaos — and they show inspectors you’re actually managing the home.

𝟱. 𝗗𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝘂𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸𝘀.

Use the same framework inspectors do.

Walk the floor. Ask the awkward questions. Involve the team.

It builds confidence and when the real day comes, it just feels way less daunting.

Running a great home and being inspection-ready should go hand in hand.

Not two different jobs — just one done well.

Care home leaders - what do you think?

14/08/2025

Buying tech is the easy part.

Making it deliver results is where most care homes struggle.

You’ve spent thousands on digital care systems, eMAR, or monitoring tools.

But occupancy hasn’t improved.

Staff still complain they’re “too busy”.

And the shiny new system that was meant to change everything falls flat on its feet.

The truth?

It’s rarely the tech that’s the problem.

It’s how it’s embedded.

Here are 5 mistakes that stop new technology systems in care homes from delivering real results.

𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝟭 – 𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗱𝗱-𝗼𝗻, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺.

• Launching without embedding it into daily workflows.
• Leaving “old ways” in place alongside the new system.
• No accountability for usage.

If it’s optional, it won’t be adopted.

𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝟮 – 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗻𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴.

Many owners buy the tool, train once, then move on.

Staff forget. Turnover happens.

Without ongoing refreshers, usage drops – and so does ROI.

𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝟯 – 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘀.

Only measuring “time saved” instead of quality, safety, and occupancy impacts.

Missing key alerts because reports aren’t reviewed regularly.

You can’t improve what you don’t measure.

𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝟰 – 𝗜𝗴𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸.

Staff know where tech helps and where it’s clunky.

If you don’t capture this, frustration grows and workarounds creep in.

𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝟱 – 𝗪𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀.

Too many upgrades happen after a bad inspection or an incident.

Proactive reviews cost less than reactive fixes.

Tech can increase occupancy, reduce staff churn, and improve inspection ratings – but only if it’s embedded right.

That’s why we’ve created a brand new course for care home leaders who want to successfully launch their next digital system.

Early-bird registration is now open.

Are you interested in joining us?

13/08/2025

Would you recognise burnout before it takes hold?

In care homes, catching it early can save your team.

The pace is relentless and the emotional load is high, so spotting early signs in your team is critical.

If you can catch burnout before it escalates, you can prevent staff turnover and the dips in care consistency that can follow.

Here are three practical ways to recognise it early:

𝗧𝗶𝗽 #𝟭: 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀.

→ A usually engaged team member becomes withdrawn.

→ The colleague who volunteers for extra shifts suddenly stops.

Even small shifts in mood or communication can be an early signal that something’s not right.

𝗧𝗶𝗽 #𝟮: 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲.

Being physically present doesn’t mean someone’s coping.

Look for signs of fatigue — slower responses, more mistakes, or a drop in attention to detail

These can appear weeks before someone calls in sick.

𝗧𝗶𝗽 #𝟯: 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀.

Comments like “I’m just tired” or “It’s been a week” can be throwaway… or they can be quiet calls for help.

Create safe spaces for honest conversations and encourage openness without judgment.

Burnout prevention starts with awareness.

When we notice and act early, we can protect both our team’s well-being and the quality of resident care.

What’s one early sign you’ve learned not to ignore?

12/08/2025

Most problems in care don’t start with big mistakes.

They start with tiny delays and missed cues that no one flags until someone’s already let down.

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how small changes shape the day-to-day experience of a resident living in a care home.

Not from a process point of view, but from a human one.

Things don’t always run smoothly in a care home.

• Call bells take too long
• Activities get cancelled
• Care plans are out of date

It’s not just an operational problem.

It’s a resident left waiting.

It’s someone missing out on a connection.

It’s a moment of uncertainty that didn’t need to happen.

And while we talk a lot about big innovations and digital transformation, some of the most powerful changes we’ve made have been small, focused, and deeply personal.

Like making call bell response times a priority.

Not because of a KPI. But because no one deserves to be left wondering if help is coming.

Or making sure activity schedules are visible and shared properly, so that a resident who was looking forward to painting or singing or simply sitting in the garden isn’t left disappointed.

Or updating care plans in real time, so we’re not making decisions based on how someone was doing last week, but how they’re doing right now.

These focus areas make life feel more predictable for residents.

And they don’t take a massive budget or a grand strategy either.

Just a bit of intention, and a team that understands the “why” behind the work.

If you had to change one thing this week to improve life for the people you care for, what would it be?

10/08/2025

Running a business is hard.

But it doesn’t have to break you.

When I first started out, I was working 60-70 hours a week.

It was relentless.

• Constantly firefighting.
• Balancing the books.
• Managing staff.
• Handling regulators.

It wasn’t sustainable, especially with a family.

I knew something had to change.

These 3 principles helped me regain my sanity as a care home owner.

#𝟭 𝗖𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗼𝘀.

Reducing the reliance on paperwork and using digital tools to save time and reduce stress.

#𝟮 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴.

Juggling problems all day isn’t leadership. Plan ahead and take control.

#𝟯 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸-𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗼𝘂𝘁.

You can’t run a great care home if you have nothing left to give.

You don’t have to work every waking hour to run a great business.

With the right systems, you can build a business that runs efficiently without sacrificing your own well-being.

09/08/2025

Curiosity is a superpower.

Learn it and you’ll build stronger teams.

If I had to pick one quality that’s made the most significant difference in how I lead, it’s not confidence, or experience, or even knowing the answers.

It’s curiosity.

I didn’t always see it that way.

Early on, I thought leadership was setting the direction and staying on top of things.

But over time, I’ve realised that the biggest transformations that improved care or changed the culture of our care homes started with a question.

Not a big, dramatic one.

Just a quiet, honest: “What’s really going on here?”

I’ve learned that asking good questions is often the bravest thing you can do.

Because it means sitting with a bit of discomfort.

It means admitting you don’t have all the answers. And it means really listening.

Whether it's someone struggling on the team, or a process that just isn’t working, or a resident who seems more withdrawn than usual, when I pause and ask why, instead of jumping to how do I fix it, I see things I wouldn’t have noticed before.

And that’s where the real change starts.

I don’t think we talk enough about the power of curiosity in leadership.

In a sector full of paperwork and pressure, it’s easy to default to doing.

But sometimes, the best leadership doesn’t start with action. It starts with awareness.

Just stopping. Noticing. Asking.

And being open to whatever comes next.

08/08/2025

Why does staff retention seem impossible in care homes?

Because most homes ignore their culture.

And without a supportive culture, everything else falls apart.

It’s not just staffing shortages. It’s not just rising costs. Those are challenges, yes, but they’re not the root cause.

In the Care Home DigiHive, we’ve seen care homes with the same budgets, same regulations, and same challenges but completely different results.

Why?

Because some build a culture where staff feel valued, residents feel respected, and leadership actually listens.

Here’s what makes the difference:

✅ 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗿, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲. You can’t fix problems you don’t see.

✅ 𝗥𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁. Constantly hiring new people isn’t a solution. Keeping good staff is.

✅ 𝗔 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝘀. And that only happens when they feel supported, trained, and respected.

If staff are leaving, if complaints are rising, if quality is slipping—look at the culture first.

Fix that, and everything else starts to improve.

What do you think?

07/08/2025

5 mistakes care homes make when going digital (and how to avoid them)

Switching to digital tech in a care home feels like a big leap.

The cost, the training, the fear of change… it can all feel so overwhelming.

But the real risk isn’t adopting tech, it’s sticking with outdated, inefficient processes that drain time and money.

Here are some of the biggest mistakes I’ve seen (and made myself):

❌ 𝟭. 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘁, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁
I used to look at digital tools as just another expense. Now I see how the right systems save hours of admin, cut agency costs, and actually improve care. The ROI is real, you just have to track it.

❌ 𝟮. 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗳𝗳 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗷𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆
If your team doesn’t see the why, they won’t get on board. I’ve learned the hard way that a fancy system means nothing if staff aren’t trained, involved, and actually believe it makes their job easier.

❌ 3. 𝗧𝗿𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘁 𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲
You don’t need to overhaul your entire care home in one go. Start small, maybe with rota management or digital care records and build from there. Small wins build confidence.

❌ 𝟰. 𝗜𝗴𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆
A common worry: “What if we lose all the data?”
Answer: Proper cloud-based backups and access controls keep everything safe. Digital isn’t just convenient. It’s actually more secure than piles of paperwork.

❌ 𝟱. 𝗚𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗰𝗸 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗼𝗹𝗱, 𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗻𝗸𝘆 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀
Clinging to outdated processes that waste time. Care homes that move with the times stay ahead, attract better staff, and provide better care.

The real problem isn’t going digital. It’s sticking with the inefficient systems you’ve outgrown.

I’ve been through this transition myself, and I know it’s not easy. But if you approach it right, the long-term benefits far outweigh the short-term hassle.

What’s one digital change that’s helped your care home?

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