Jude Ryan, is a qualified nurse, wellbeing coach and a My Home Life Leadership Support facilitator colleague. Through her relationship with people living and working in her husband’s two care homes in Bedford, (both rated Outstanding by the Care Quality Commission), she has had extensive experience of caring for older people, as well as their professional carers.

Her commitment to the vital role that self-compassion takes in high quality care, shines out. One essential issue Jude considered was how to help people better engage with themselves. As she observes, “when facing the stresses of care, it is important to ask yourself what would be beneficial to you – after all, you have to name it, to tame it.”

Self-compassion covers an array of matters such as promoting self-empathy, loving kindness, personal anxiety relief and being present and ‘in the moment’. For Jude, it has meant considering the physical and emotional needs of the person, as well as the environment in which they live and work.

Noticing the obvious synergies between self-compassion and wellbeing led her to explore complementary methods of self-care – and diffusing essential oils in particular. Her two-year exploration revealed US company DöTERRA, “They came out top as the purest, highest grade oils.”

As the company says on its website: “A healthy body works like body armour, protecting us from threats that constantly bombard us. We come into contact with environmental and seasonal threats every day amid all of our activities. With the right tools, you can give your body what it needs to stay strong all season.”

Three favourite single DöTERRA diffusing essential oils Jude recommends are Wild Orange (energising and purifying); Lemon (a powerful cleansing agent that purifies the air and surfaces); and Lavender (antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties and useful for treating anxiety, insomnia, depression, and restlessness).

Last Easter, the care home gifted a roll-on bottle of ‘Cheer’ (wild orange, clove, aniseed, nutmeg and ginger) to each of the care home staff. ‘An uplifting blend of citrus and spice essential oils providing an aromatic, cheerful boost of happiness and positivity. Its sunshiny, fresh, optimistic aroma to brighten any moment of your day’, as the website explains.

Deputy Manager of one of the two care homes, Danecroft Residential Care Home, Rebecca Ward, agrees that it was a wonderful gift for all the staff, enthusing that the diffused oils also helped to diffuse a rather different but familiar care home visitor – anxiety.

Jude says, “stimulating the senses is all part of developing wellness and wellbeing for everyone and that’s what we want to promote.” It’s an irresistible attitude – and belief that’s all part of a home with an Outstanding rating.