I’m writing this after two days at the Care Show Birmingham this week, chairing panels, doing expert interviews for the launch of our second annual Care Industry Handbook (produced in partnership with Care England), and meeting new and existing contacts across the sector.
I’m utterly exhausted today, I’m not going to lie (to use the vernacular), but I’d go and do it all again in a heartbeat. The energy, positivity and passion of everyone I met, determined to improve and optimise services for people using care services across the country, was hugely inspiring and motivational.
At the risk of stating the obvious, that feeling of being inspired and, yes, excited to be part of a sector filled with positive, driven and determined people is a special kind of magic that only seems to happen when people come together in real life. Whether that’s on a small-scale meeting people who plan, develop, design and run services at newly opened homes or on a grander scale at something like The Care Show, it’s only possible to really understand what this caring sector is really about – it’s vitality and mission – face to face.
Life can be so busy, and it can feel too difficult to fit in setting up IRL connections, but, as we often learn, just because something feels difficult, it doesn’t mean it can't or shouldn’t be done.
I’ll be following up and covering some of the panels and ideas discussed at this year’s events over the coming days and months online and in print. If we didn’t get a chance to chat this year, do get in touch - and if you’re proud of the service you run, I’d love to come and see it for myself.
However busy life gets, making time to meet face to face is always worth it. There really is nothing quite like being in the same space, sharing ideas and experiencing great care environments in practice.
