The UK Dementia and Palliative Care Conference 2026 - Rowcroft Hospice

Episoder

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  An Award-Winning Model of Palliative Dementia Care - Gemma Del Toro 04.05.2026 32min

  From a chance conversation to an award-winning model of palliative dementia care In this episode, the development of an innovative Dementia Palliative Care Service in Derbyshire is explored, addressing gaps in end-of-life support for people living with dementia. Through collaboration across health, social care, and voluntary sectors, the service demonstrated strong impact and gained national recognition. Now informing a gold-standard NHS England model, this session highlights how local innova...
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  Palliative care for people with dementia – Uneasy Bedfellows - Prof Catherine Walshe 27.04.2026 29min

  Professor Catherine Walshe explores the complexities of delivering high-quality palliative care for people with advanced dementia. Combining an overview of current research with interactive discussion, the session highlights the challenges faced by both dementia care specialists and palliative care professionals. It offers valuable insight into how different perspectives can be better aligned to improve care for those living with advanced dementia. https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherine-walshe...
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  The Empathy Suit experience - Isobel Jones CEO Alive 27.04.2026 34min

  In this interactive session, Isobel Jones introduced a 13-piece empathy suit designed to simulate the physical and sensory challenges of living with dementia. By experiencing everyday tasks with restricted movement, vision, and hearing, participants gained first-hand insight into the realities of dementia. The session highlighted the importance of empathy in care, encouraging a more compassionate and person-centred approach to supporting those living with the condition. https://www.linkedin.c...
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  Advance care planning in dementia – from the latest research to new practice - Dr Jenny van der Steen 17.04.2026 28min

  In this session, the complexities of advance care planning in dementia are explored, with a focus on meaningful communication and person-centred care. Drawing on guidance from the European Association for Palliative Care, the discussion highlights the importance of involving families, adapting conversations to individual capacity, and viewing advance care planning as an ongoing process rather than a one-off decision. The session also outlines practical approaches and tools to support earlier,...
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  Just let me choose: Eating, drinking and the right to decide - Dr Anna Volkmer & Alison Smith 17.04.2026 36min

  In this episode, the challenges surrounding eating, drinking, and swallowing in dementia are explored, alongside the impact on health and quality of life. The discussion highlights the balance between clinical recommendations and individual preferences, emphasising the importance of autonomy and the right to make personal choices. Focusing on positive risk-taking, the session encourages a person-centred approach that respects dignity while supporting wellbeing. https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-...
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  Urban and Rural Dementia: Facts and the Future from Ian Sherriff 13.04.2026 25min

  In this episode, Ian Sherriff explores the growing global and local impact of dementia, highlighting key statistics, future projections, and the increasing pressures on health and care systems. With cases rising rapidly and costs expected to escalate significantly, the session examines challenges including inequalities in care, delayed hospital discharges, and the burden placed on families and carers. It also looks ahead to emerging innovations in diagnosis and treatment, including AI, blood ...
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  Dementia in the NHS in England: achievements and challenges - Dr Jeremy Isaacs 30.03.2026 26min

  In this session Dr Jeremy Isaacs, National Clinical Director for Dementia and Older People’s Mental Health at NHS England, explores the current state of dementia care. With over 500,000 people diagnosed in England, a number set to rise, the NHS has made strong progress in diagnosis, awareness, and dementia-friendly services. However, challenges remain, including increasing waiting times, variation in diagnostic quality, and limited post-diagnostic support. This session highlights the ne...
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  Living with Dementia: Paula’s and Guy’s Story 30.03.2026 10min

  Living with Dementia: Paula’s and Guy’s Story In this moving opening to the UK Dementia and Palliative Care Conference 2026, Paula Bradley-Smith shares her deeply personal story of caring for her husband, Guy Bradley-Smith. Guy, a doctor, was diagnosed with early-onset dementia in 2021 and previously opened this conference two years ago, offering his own unique perspective on living with the condition. Paula reflects on their 41 years of marriage and the journey they have faced together since...
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  Conference Welcome by Mark Hawkins CEO Rowcroft Hospice 30.03.2026 2min

  Welcome to the Dementia and Palliative Care Conference podcast 2026, brought to you by Rowcroft Hospice. Across this series, you’ll hear powerful conversations from experts at the forefront of dementia research, policy, and frontline practice. From national perspectives with NHS England’s Dr Jeremy Isaacs, to international insights from Dr Jenny van der Steen, and regional innovation led by Ian Sherriff in Devon, this conference brings together a truly diverse range of expertise. We als...
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  Coming Soon - The 2026 UK Dementia & Palliative Care Conference 27.03.2026 2min

  The first episodes will follow on Monday 30th March 2026 If you weren’t able to join us at The 2026 UK Dementia and Palliative Care Conference, you can now experience the whole event through our podcast series. Across this series, you’ll hear powerful conversations from experts at the forefront of dementia research, policy, and frontline practice. From national perspectives with NHS England’s Dr Jeremy Isaacs, to international insights from Dr Jenny van der Steen, and regional innovation led ...
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  The Future of Dementia & Palliative Care: Panel Discussion with Dr Jill Horne 27.08.2025 23min

  In this closing panel discussion, “The Future of Dementia and Palliative Care" Dr. Jill Horne chairs a conversation with leading experts Dr. Sarah Russell, Prof. Liz Sampson, Dr. Wilco Achterberg, and Prof. Kevin Brazil. Listen as the panel tackle thought-provoking audience questions, from their personal heroes in dementia and palliative care and the necessary funding shifts, to redefining the hospice’s role and developing new quality indicators for end-of-life dementia care. Explore the impo...
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  Young Carers: Supporting Children in Families Facing Dementia with Hannah Gardner from Dementia UK 25.06.2025 20min

  Hannah Gardner a Consultant Admiral Nurse for Children and Young People at Dementia UK discusses a crucial but often overlooked aspect of dementia care, its impact on children and young people. Hannah sheds light on the unique challenges faced by these young individuals and how we can better support them through grief and loss. And emphasises that a diagnosis of dementia is not just given to one person - it is given to a spouse, a partner, a child and the extended family. She will discu...
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  Navigating Grief and Dementia: Tracey Carter on Supporting Bereavement and Loss 25.06.2025 24min

  Tracey Carter, Head of Dementia Care & Wellbeing at Hallmark Care Homes, guides us through the sensitive and often misunderstood experience of bereavement and loss in people living with dementia. Dementia can profoundly alter how grief is felt and expressed, making traditional approaches to support insufficient. Tracey shares current research insights, practical strategies, and a compassionate blended approach to help caregivers respond with patience, empathy, and consistency....
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  Supporting Family Carers with Rachel Johnstone from Dementia UK 23.06.2025 11min

  In this episode, Rachel Johnstone from Dementia UK sheds light on how we can better support family carers of people living with dementia. Caring for a loved one with dementia brings unique emotional and practical challenges - from coping with anticipatory grief to navigating complex care systems and looking after one’s own wellbeing. Rachel explores these realities, introduces helpful concepts like ‘Safe Uncertainty,’ and shares resources and reflective practices that empower care...
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  Health Technologies to Support People with Dementia 23.06.2025 10min

  Dr. Rory Baxter and Leonie Cooper discuss digital health technologies for dementia, highlighting the benefits of robot pets and introducing the GOALD project, which co-creates digital tools for physical activity and reminiscence. The episode emphasises the crucial role of co-design in technology development for older adults and showcases the GOALD toolkit for developers. It also touches on the ICONIC project's efforts to combat digital exclusion through intergenerational co-design, exploring ...
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  Learning Disability and Dementia: Tailored Support and Resources with Professor Karen Watchman 23.06.2025 21min

  Professor Karen Watchman highlights the unique challenges of dementia in individuals with learning disabilities, focusing on differences in cognitive ability progression, seizure onset (especially in Down's syndrome), and communication of pain. She emphasises personalised support, relationship nurturing, and the role of caregivers. The episode showcases resources like Jenny's Diary and Andrew's Cards, and introduces specialised online training for professionals, aiming to enhance ...
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  Implementing Namaste Care: A Sensory Approach to Advanced Dementia Care 20.06.2025 24min

  Nicola Jacobson-Wright and Faith Frost present on Namaste Care, a sensory-based programme for advanced dementia. Their research shows it significantly reduces agitation and improves quality of life in care home residents. The episode highlights the programme's key elements, positive impacts on residents and staff, and also introduces an online course developed to educate and support staff in delivering Namaste Care, aiming to improve the quality of life for people living with adva...
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  Supporting Families in Dementia End-of-Life Decisions: Prof Kevin Brazil 20.06.2025 35min

  Prof Kevin Brazil discusses how families can be better supported in making crucial end-of-life care decisions for loved ones with advanced dementia. In this episode, Kevin will introduce the Family Carer Decision Support Intervention - a structured approach that combines practical tools, compassionate communication, and evidence-based guidance. Join us as we unpack how this intervention empowers family carers, improves care planning in nursing homes, and shapes the future of demen...
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  The Duality of Caregiving: A Nurse’s Journey Through Personal Loss and Professional Duty: Dr Sarah Russell 20.06.2025 29min

  This episode is an emotion and moving account of Sarah's experience of caring for her mother. Trigger Warning: This episode discusses terminal illness, caregiving, and the death of a loved one. Dr. Sarah Russell, Consultant Nurse and Trust Lead for Palliative and End of Life Care at Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust, explores the complex duality of caring. Drawing on 16 years of direct caregiving experience for a loved one, Sarah provides a unique perspective on the chal...
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  Beyond the Taboo: Continence, Dignity, and Dementia Care with Dr. Zena Aldridge 19.05.2025 34min

  In this powerful episode, Dr. Zena Aldridge explores one of the most overlooked yet impactful aspects of dementia care: promoting continence and managing incontinence with dignity. Drawing on the latest evidence and her experience as a leading dementia nurse consultant, she shares practical strategies, challenges stigma, and calls for a shift in how health and care professionals support those living with dementia. Connect with Dr Zena Aldridge on LinkedIn This podcast is free to l...