Adviser To David Cameron Heads Up Speakers At Pioneering Dementia Event
FIVE of the country’s most powerful voices in the field of dementia care will be speaking at a ground-breaking event in Peterborough next week.
Among them are Professor Martin Green OBE, special adviser on dementia to the Prime Minister, and campaigner Angela Sherman who set up her own website to highlight the problems facing people needing long-term care.
The event on Tuesday, June 3, called ‘Open Your Mind To… Cognitive Impairment: understanding behaviours that challenge’, will be held at the Eagle Wood Neurological Care Centre in Bretton, Peterborough.
Eagle Wood, which is owned and managed by care provider PJ Care, is the only UK centre of its kind providing onsite treatment and rehabilitation for all neurological conditions, including dementia.
The event is part of a campaign which PJ Care is leading to highlight the issues facing people with a range of neurological conditions, including young onset dementia and other forms of cognitive impairment.
Johann van Zyl, chief executive officer at PJ Care, said: “We have some of the most powerful and influential voices in their fields coming to Eagle Wood to discuss the challenges of caring for people with cognitive impairment, each bringing their unique perspective on the topic.
“Care for people with dementia and other forms of cognitive impairment is at a crossroads – we need to be aware that there is a crisis ahead due to the increasing elderly population and resultant increase of people effected by dementia.
“We need to highlight the growing issue that the country faces.”
The day is set to attract a range of professionals including discharge nurses, NHS commissioners, social workers, charities, healthcare workers, nurses, care home managers, and anyone who cares for or commissions services on behalf of someone with cognitive impairment.
Keynote speaker Martin Green, as well as being an adviser on dementia to David Cameron, is chief executive at Care England, a charity representing independent care providers.
Prof Green will talk about the Government’s dementia strategy and discuss the challenges the country faces in meeting the needs of the growing numbers of people with cognitive impairment due to neurological conditions, including dementia.
Clinical psychologist Alistair Gaskell will talk about coping with ‘challenging behaviour’, while dementia care nurse advisor Jill Walton will discuss support for people with dementia.
Angela Sherman is expected to focus on how the country needs to improve its care services.
PJ Care’s award-winning founder and chair Jan Flawn, a former nurse, will describe how she set up her company in 2000 after seeing first-hand atrocious care for young people with neurological conditions.
Johann van Zyl continued: “The study day will provide a real insight into the needs of people with various forms of cognitive impairment, as well as offering practical advice for people directly or indirectly affected by dementia.”
- Anyone wanting to attend the event, which runs from 9am to 1pm on June 3, is asked to register an interest in attending by contacting PJ Care Study Day Admin via email at enquiries@pjcare.co.uk, by fax 01908 793322, or by post to PJ Care, 1 Sherwood Place, 153 Sherwood Drive, Bletchley, Milton Keynes, MK3 6RT.
