From Interior Designer to Care Worker – Roberta’s Story
We are all driven by finding a sense of purpose. This drive can take us to a multitude of places.
For Abbots Care Worker Roberta, the search for purpose was a longer journey, beginning in Milan and continuing in London. A career in interior design transitioned into a career in care as her passions changed, and working with people became the priority.
After winning the Extra Care Schemes Award at Abbots Care’s in-house award show, we spoke to Roberta.
Roberta (right) pictured winning the Extra Care Schemes Award with Theresa from Abbots Care Central Support Team (left)
Roberta’s Journey Into Care
“I studied at the Milan University of Architecture and worked in interior design and retail until 1996, when I moved to London.”
However, it wasn’t until more recently that Roberta made the switch to care work from the interior design and retail sectors.
“I feel I’ve always had that caring side to me. I started volunteering at a young age in Italy, supporting elderly people who lived alone. My voluntary work continued when I moved to the UK, and I joined Home Start, which offers free in-home support to families with young children.”
This innate drive is something we often see with Care Workers, so many of them are simply ‘born to care’, and that is no different in Roberta’s story.
Whilst continuing to work in interior design, Roberta also began adopting children, looking after one child with autism and then a child with mental health difficulties. The care responsibilities were intense, so she reduced her working hours to educate herself further on her children’s disabilities, attending seminars and reading books to offer even better support.
This change of emphasis was likely the turning point for Roberta’s career.
“I was no longer interested in my retail job, it started to feel competitive and superficial. So I decided to look for a career change and a job that could offer deeper meaning and personal fulfilment.”
Changing careers isn’t always easy, especially when you have worked in a previous industry or career for a long time. Roberta notes this as a particular challenge, but with time found her age and experiences to be a strength when it came to delivering high-quality person-centred care.
“Care requires patience and a degree of confidence to work with other Care Workers so closely. It can also be a physically challenging role. I am not a “young” person, so I feel like my life experiences, like bringing up children with special needs, has equipped me with extra understanding of the challenges other people have to face.”
Roberta works in one of our schemes, which is an on-site care role in a larger supported residential setting.
“I enjoy giving my best in all situations, resolving issues, and at the same time learning about myself through these encounters. Overall, the work is rewarding, and I appreciate the ongoing training Abbots Care provide.”
Find Out More About Careers in Care
Roberta’s story is a reminder that journeys, or adventures, don’t always follow a straight line, and that career success can be defined by personal fulfilment rather than material goals.
Across our teams, we see many people who find purpose through care. It takes confidence to step away from a familiar career and choose work that is focused on people, connection, and making a difference within local communities.
If you would like to find out more about a career in care, read our articles below, or see our vacancies by clicking here.
