Picking out highlights is always tough. Sometimes the most special moments come and go without being linked to a specific event, they just ‘happen’ when you meet someone and get into a conversation, or read a tweet or an email, but in true end-of-year style I’m going to try and pick out some of my favourite memories from the last 12 months.
In no particular order here are five of my 2014 highlights:
1) Film for Care England
It was an honour to be asked to make a film for Care
England. Partly because I was in illustrious company, with some true ‘heavyweights’
of social care being invited to contribute, but mostly because it was an
amazing opportunity to talk about some of the aspects of social care that are
important to me, and to direct specific issues towards care providers and
policy makers.
My dad’s 9 years in care homes has left me with an
abiding desire to A) celebrate good care
(my dad had some amazingly good care) and B) work to improve poor care
practices (which sadly my dad also experienced). Whatever the rights and wrongs
of how residential care is provided or funded, every single individual
receiving it deserves care that is consistently outstanding.
You can view the film here: http://www.careengland.org.uk/beth-britton-interview
2) Interview for The Guardian
Given that I’m someone who is used to doing the
interviewing, rather than being interviewed, it was an unusual experience to be
on the other end of the questioning! The feature charted my life with my dad,
and talked about some of the work I’m doing now, including with CQC.
It also helped to bring my D4Dementia blog to a new
audience, and contained information that I hope was helpful to readers,
including my time honoured advice on choosing a care home: "I always say to people: go with your
gut instinct. Don't go for something that looks like a hotel, or promises
anything and everything. Go for something that feels right to you." More expansion on that advice is available here.
Most importantly from my perspective, however, the feature
stressed the independent nature of my work, which is something that I am fiercely
protective of.
You can read the interview here: http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/jul/30/beth-britton-care-homes-not-police-states-dementia-blogger
3) Standing ovation at the
Alzheimer Europe conference
As I’ve eluded to I speak at a lot of events - followers of the D4Dementia Facebook page or my Twitter feed will know this well.
Over the last 2.5 years the topic I have found most difficult to talk about
has, unsurprisingly, been my dad’s end-of-life care.
As a result I’ve only spoken about it in depth and
publically twice – at the National Palliative Care conference in December 2013
and at the Alzheimer Europe conference in 2014. I remember first writing about
my dad’s end-of-life care in this blog post, and being in tears writing
it and reading it back. With this in mind, you can imagine how difficult it was to speak to a large group of people,
but the reaction from the audience at the Alzheimer Europe conference was so memorable it warranted a blog post all of its own. I will always be grateful to that audience for their
support at the end of a very difficult presentation, so if you were one of
those people in that room, thank you.
4) A day full of hope with
BRACE
Since I came into the health and social care world on a
professional level, I have attended a lot of conferences. Truth be told, I have
become increasingly fatigued with the endless regurgitation of information that
these events produce. For me it has become an issue where we need quality to
triumph over quantity. The lives and futures of people with dementia and their
families are too important for progress in how we inform
and educate to be so achingly slow and uninspiring.
With that in mind, easily my favourite conference of
2014 was BRACE 'Dementia: Hope for the future'. BRACE hold a very special place in my
heart. They gave me my first ever speaking engagements in September 2012,
invited me to be part of their Question Time panel in 2013 and subsequently
made me an Ambassador. Being involved in the planning and delivery of ‘Dementia: Hope for
the future’ was another highlight in our on-going relationship.
This ‘mini conference’ had a strong local focus and
offered lots of practical information and advice. It also covered national and
international issues. All the major areas of dementia care were represented – Dr
Peter Bagshaw covered primary care from the point of view of a GP, social care was
represented by Mike Hennessey who is a director at Bristol City Council,
secondary care and research was covered by Dr Liz Coulthard who is a cognitive
neurologist, consultant senior lecturer and clinical research team lead, and
most significantly of all, the views of two people living with dementia – Chris Roberts
and Hilary Doxford - and carers present and past – Chris’ wife Jayne, Tony Hall
and myself - were present throughout the day.
The fantastic feedback proved that this event inspired
and influenced the people who attended, and I’m certain that they took away
many actionable, positive messages and signposts for their professional and/or
personal lives. Other conference organisers please take note! And a little
heads up for 2015: there will be another BRACE event, so keep your eye on the BRACE website in the coming months.
5) Training GP’s
It was way back in 2012 that the idea of me offering
training to health and social care professionals was first muted. 2014 saw my
first foray into that area as I undertook a GP training session for the first
time.
I have come to realise that from a professional point
of view nothing gives me greater pleasure or pride than being
able to make a difference to frontline practice in a practical and personal way. Drawing on my own
experiences with my dad, and the experiences of the countless other people who
are living with dementia and their families whom I have been privileged to meet,
can have a really powerful and positive impact on any audience, including
seasoned professionals like my group of GP’s.
For 2015 I hope to grow this side of my work, in both
health and social care, with my number one aim being, as it was when I began D4Dementia, to make a real and lasting difference to the lives of people
who are living with dementia and their families.
I
could add many more highlights, but I will end by thanking each and every one
of my readers, social media supporters, colleagues and friends who have made
2014 another very special year for me.
This
will be my last D4Dementia blog post for 2014. I’m taking an extended Christmas
break to spend time with family, but rest assured that D4Dementia will return
in 2015. The first D4Dementia blog of the New Year will be published on 19
January 2015.
Until
then I wish you all a very happy Christmas.
You can follow me on Twitter: @bethyb1886
