Meet our home manager,
Karen Byres

Karen has worked in the healthcare arena for over 30 years, having been inspired as a child by her mother who ran a nursing home in Southampton. Karen started her career as a carer and in the intervening years, has gained a wealth of experience working with and then managing teams caring for older people with dementia. Since 2014, Karen has been the Registered Home Manager of Claremont Court in Guildford.

Karen’s passion is to create a home from home for all her residents, within a warm and friendly environment. She has developed an exceptionally dedicated team that has been cherry-picked to form the stable family unit at the heart of Claremont Court’s dementia care.

Karen has led her team to many prestigious award wins, including the Best Specialist Care Category – Dementia, at the National Care Home Awards 2025, the Dementia Care Award at the Great British Care Awards 2023 and the Nursing Home of the Year award at the Surrey Care Awards in November 2024. Claremont Court also received Highly Commended for Innovative Spaces Within Residential Care: Design at the Dementia in Care Awards 2025.

When she’s not at Claremont Court, Karen enjoys her role as ‘Auntie’ to her many nieces and nephews.  As an avid gardener, Karen loves nothing more than relaxing at home after a long week.

Karen is NVQ qualified and holds the Registered Managers Award.  She is also trained in supporting people living with Parkinson’s and Diabetes.

Karen’s natural affinity to care for others shines throughout our home.  She says: “I love getting to know our residents and truly understanding the person they are behind their dementia. They can be themselves here and yet still live life to the full. Nothing is more rewarding than that.”