Dementia care: what does success look like?

Tanya Clover, head of dementia and personalisation for Porthaven Care Homes, looks at how, when setting out to enable and support those living with dementia, providers can best measure their ‘success’

Have you ever been deep into a project or programme only to find yourself suddenly questioning if you have lost sight of what you were originally trying to achieve? Donald Schön, philosopher and pioneer of critical reflection in practice, warned of the disconnect between the ‘ivory towers’ of academic theory and the ‘swampy lowlands’ of practice. Schön advocated for the use of critical reflection to bridge the theorypractice gap. While I would never equate social care practice to the conditions of a swamp, I do agree with Schön’s stance on reflection. So, whenever I am lost, or unsure of what I am trying to achieve, I ask myself the simple question: what does success look like?

To answer that question, I must first ask whose version of success and I am seeking to establish, as success often means different things for different people and at different points in their life

In a previous article, I wrote that space should belong to those that live there, but also be enabling for staff who work within it.1 We are all, sadly, familiar with institutions where the walls positively bristle with management directives, where this month’s missed targets are pinned over last month’s wellbeing initiative. While these might be important for staff to know, they are not important to the people who live in the space, and conspire to say that this is a place of work, not a home. 

Log in or register FREE to read the rest

This story is Premium Content and is only available to registered users. Please log in at the top of the page to view the full text. If you don't already have an account, please register with us completely free of charge.

Latest Issues

Care Roadshows Wales

Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff
12th November 2024

LaingBuisson Social Care Summit North

Etihad Stadium, Etihad Campus, Manchester M11 3FF
Thursday 13th February 2025

Care England Conference

Church House Conference Centre, Westminster, London
13th March 2025

Care Sector Supplier Awards

London Marriott Hotel Canary Wharf, 22 Hertsmere Rd, London E14 4ED
29th April 2025

LaingBuisson Social Care Summit

etc.venues, St. Paul's, London
Thursday 5th June 2025