About Us
Finding Inspiration in Every Turn
Caring Alternatives was established in 2000, starting with a small Residential Care Home in Tyldesley, Greater Manchester. Hillcrest, the care home, is a converted vicarage, near to shops and public transport links to local towns and into the centre of Manchester. We grew then by adding supported living services for people with Mental Health needs and Learning Disabilities, in Tyldesley, Leigh and Atherton, we then added similar services in Bolton, Ellesmere Port and Northwich.
Our Story
Caring Alternatives came into being when Margaret Swanson set the service up, Margaret had trained as a nurse, both General and Psychiatric, had left the NHS as an Executive Director in a large Trust, had a spell as a Nurse Advisor and Professional Private Secretary to the Chief Nurse at the NHS/ Department of Health, a Clinical Director at Ashworth Special Hospital managing the Personality Disordered Unit, before joining Care UK as their Director of Nursing. Margaret wanted to make a difference to a small number of people by running her own business; so Caring Alternatives came into being. Margaret was soon joined by Lorrane Taylor, as the Financial Controller, 25 years on and Margaret and Lorrane are now the Directors.