Helen Curr, our CEO asks, ‘What if dementia care were different?’
Drawing inspiration from community groups, specialist charities and from the people who use our Memory Assessment Service, Helen explores what exceptional dementia care could look like.

It starts in winter, as it so often does in healthcare. The growing number of people in hospitals, unable to be provided with suitable care back up our hospital services, drawing our attention to a crisis in care, so long in the making.

Our media stories fill with the gaps in the workforce, the challenging work environment, the poor pay and poor care. Soon a scandal emerges, staff pushed to their limits, working to their best abilities, and others – poorly trained, poorly motivated, poorly connected to the person – only focused on the ‘task’ of care, the washing, feeding, dressing changing, and cruel failures to provide even these basics let alone the human connection and care that any person deserves. And as Neil Crowther illustrated in his blog  Anatomy of a media story about dementia and social care – Making rights make sense, we fall into a pattern of seeing people with dementia as those whose health and wellbeing is beyond reach.

Elspeth…told us a radically different story of what it can mean to be diagnosed with dementia

What if it were different?

What if the next step isn’t more inspections, rigid controls, and better oversight?

What if our school leavers, job seekers and career changers saw a picture of a world where their work involved the creation of smiles, of bringing the song into the room, of human touch, of kindness. Where a team of friends, including professionals, neighbours and families chat and plan, where a care plan became more of a life plan – filled with inspiration and fun.

What if our towns and cities, our villages were designed and connected, our centres filled with dementia choirs, memory cafes, art spaces and music  and simple ways to combat loneliness, like the Skravlekopp movement that spread throughout Norway. Where if you choose a green cup with the word Skravlekopp written on instead of the regular cup when you´re out having coffee, other people in the coffeehouse know that you are open to talk to others.

It’s been such a nice surprise. I’ve never been happier. Isn’t it ridiculous?

What if we change our focus?

What if we focused on how someone wanted to live their life with dementia, built around the moments of joy and connection that ripple across families and communities, building support and  connection that benefits all in involved, not just the ‘patient’.

The more I look for positive stories, the more I find they are out there, although rarely in our mainstream media.

When Prunella Scales was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2014, she went on to film 34 episodes of canal boat diaries over 5 years, a fabulous demonstration of how life continues. I’m thrilled to hear in 2022 she turned 90 with huge party for 150 guests and then spent time Greek island hopping. I know this isn’t the life on offer for many of us, but there are more stories out there, I found a few and list them below along with one of our own.

Real-life positive stories – Living with Dementia Toolkit

#StillHere – Five Personal Stories – Alzheimer Society of Manitoba

Dementia: People share their own stories | Age UK

Danny’s Story | Alzheimer Scotland (alzscot.org)

Dementia village in Warwick is a pioneer in person-centred care | Dementia | The Guardian

And finally, from our own Memory Assessment Service. Elspeth isn’t a wealthy award-winning actress, but she told us a radically different story of what it can mean to be diagnosed with dementia, that we’d like to share: Watch the video, and imagine, what if all dementia care looked more like this?

Helen Curr, Chief Executive

My role is to hold ourselves true to our values. To make sure our commitment to putting people at the heart of their healthcare journey is embedded in every decision and action we take.