Beth would not take ‘no’ or ‘can’t’ for an answer and challenged the team in every department to take the same approach. As a result, the whole team have been upskilled. The senior team has not only learnt what good leadership looks like, but now live and breathe it! The peer-to-peer training that Beth has designed with staff is now embedded to ensure that standards continue to rise.
Beth is also very approachable and staff were encouraged to ask questions and be actively involved in the training sessions. The impact on the Wellbeing Team has been profound and has enhanced the quality of care provided to residents living with dementia. Stimulation of these residents has improved, and this has led to a calmer environment and more social interaction and individual experiences for our residents.
This included the importance of life histories and using the information to help the resident. As a result of the training, I look at things differently and take a more holistic approach. I try to educate my team of colleagues and have helped others with my knowledge.
She brings a clarity of thought and originality of ideas which I have always found very refreshing and helpful when considerations and discussions of the importance of people with dementia and their carers are concerned. She has a unique writing style and a gifted ability to convey ideas and experiences.
She has taught me to reflect after each shift and try to do better next time. Through this experience my leadership has improved, such as organising staff and sharing responsibilities. Beth gave me the necessary resources and knowledge to develop myself and the team.
She has managed to interlink her personal experiences with a growing professional authority the result of which is a passionate voice, speaking out for people with dementia and their families. It is this powerful combination that has enabled Beth to develop our approach, continually influence and critically appraise the work that MacIntyre has undertaken in the area of dementia over the past few years.
She has worked with our team for over 18 months, challenging our practice and culture; stripping away the veneer of our understanding around personalisation and dementia care, strengthening and rebuilding the foundation stones of our service so that now our dementia journey is brighter, bolder and clearer. Brighter outcomes for all those we support living with a dementia; bolder staff, bolder environments, bolder resources, bolder management and a clear vision of how great dementia care should look, sound, taste and feel – thank you Beth!
Through those years she has helped me to progress and understand dementia and her knowledge and personal experience have been invaluable. She has helped solve problems and come up with ideas to support residents living with dementia. Beth’s guidance in assisting us to set up life story work has helped us to understand and communicate more effectively with our residents. Beth has also supported us to enable our residents to have a better mealtime experience and helped us to create meaningful activities. She has supported and trained me to deliver numerous courses to staff, including Wellbeing, Key Working and Life Story training. I thank Beth for all that she has done, her support and knowledge over the past two years has been invaluable to all of our staff and residents.
She has helped us in our own work to raise awareness and deepen understanding, and we are delighted that Beth has become an ambassador for BRACE.
Beth’s training has given us a solid foundation to provide care and support in the best interests of our residents who are living with dementia.
There was a very comfortable and welcoming environment for the roundtable, and everyone that attended shared and opened up. There is a lot of learning from today that could be shared across our organisation, eg: the difference between EOLC and Palliative Care. Thanks Beth, you’re wonderful! As always very organised, well-prepared and knowledgable.
End of Life is a very difficult subject, but was made easier with open learning, listening to what we do well and our experiences. The learning will better equip me to share this experience with my teams and the people I support, use resources, and will be part of my own personal reflection. Thank you Beth.
Her personal experience, commitment and understanding challenge us all to do better.
Beth was aware of listening to others and including the whole group. I will go back with a vast improvement in preventing falls and support people with more confidence thanks to Beth’s roundtable. It was great.
My mentoring with Beth has enabled me to handle situations in a more professional way, and has given me the knowledge to care for residents with a more person-centred approach, providing me with practical skills to deal with different conditions and presentations of dementia. It has also enabled me to pass knowledge and experiences onto staff.
It was a good opportunity to share experiences, and has given me ideas of things we can do in our services to reduce the risk of falls.
It has made me more confident in talking to staff about supporting people with pain and distress, and more confident in challenging health professionals. Beth’s knowledge really supported me in understanding this topic. The session was fabulous.
It has also reminded me that there is always scope for fresh learning. I am now more aware that I assume that people I work alongside have the same knowledge and understanding, but that they may not, through no fault of their own.
Her experience of supporting her father, who was living with dementia, and her professional background, give her unparalleled insight into effective ways of campaigning for change.
