#feelthelove: Why great Care Home Managers are burning out

If you sit down with any Registered Manager and ask how things are going, you’re likely to hear the same thing – there’s just too much on their desk.

Everything comes through them – staffing, compliance, safeguarding, families, audits, day-to-day issues. All of it needs attention, often at the same time.

And they manage it. But it comes at a cost.

The pressure they’re under is huge. The tiredness builds up. And it’s not something you switch off at the end of a shift.

Because this isn’t just a job where you clock in and out.

People in care carry it with them. They think about the people they’re looking after. Their situations. Their families. What’s happening in their lives.

You couldn’t do this job without caring – without feeling something for the people you support.

That’s what makes great managers. But it’s also what makes burnout such a risk.

There’s still a shortage of skilled workers across the sector. That hasn’t gone away.

People left during COVID for other roles and haven’t returned, and that gap is still being felt every day.

At the same time, the needs of residents are becoming more complex.

If someone needs one-to-one care, that immediately puts pressure on staffing. Rotas tighten. Managers have to find solutions quickly, often with very little room to move.

And when there isn’t enough support, managers step in. They cover shifts. They stay late. They keep things running.

But they can’t do everything.

That’s the reality that needs to be acknowledged more openly.

Because burnout doesn’t happen overnight. It builds over time – through lack of sleep, constant pressure, and never quite getting a proper break.

And eventually, something gives.

People start to feel exhausted. They lose energy. Some leave the sector altogether.

That’s when the impact really hits.

Because when experienced managers go, you lose knowledge, stability, and leadership all at once.

So, what needs to change?

There needs to be more support around managers.

That could be through stronger internal teams, better planning, or using agencies in a way that genuinely relieves pressure rather than adds to it.

When managers do have the right support around them, you can feel the difference almost immediately.

The pressure lifts. There’s space to think, to lead, to focus on what really matters rather than constantly firefighting.

Teams become more settled, residents receive more consistent care, and managers can finally step back without feeling like everything will fall apart.

That’s where #feelthelove comes in – not as an idea, but as a real, noticeable shift in how a home feels day to day.

When managers are supported, they have more to give. More energy, more patience, more presence. And that flows through to everyone around them – staff, residents, and families alike.

• Deborah Stock, Founder and Managing Director of Care Connection Partners