Giving those in need the space to breathe. Academic’s award for dementia innovation projects and partnerships

A University academic’s dedication to improving the lives of people with dementia and their loved ones has been recognised with a county award.

Professor Jackie Parkes – University of Northampton’s (UON) dementia projects lead – career in dementia innovation began during her years as a mental health nurse.

Since then, she has been instrumental in shaping dementia services in the county, particularly those that enhance and support greater independent living.

In Northamptonshire, the number of people it is estimated will have a diagnosis of dementia in 2024 is 9,081.

If current trends continue and no action is taken, the total number of people living with dementia in the UK is forecast to increase to 1,000,000 by 2025 and 1,590,000 by 2040.

Jackie’s successes include:

• Helming the Northamptonshire Dementia Action Forum. This brings together organisations across health, social care, and voluntary sectors to make Northamptonshire more dementia friendly (aware of the needs of people with dementia).
• Creating Forget Me Nots, a support service for people with young onset dementia (those under 65 years) that runs to this day.
• A creative force working with county partners to roll out the Brain Gym (activities to keep brains and bodies active and improve self-confidence) and Carer Workshops (this project helped carers develop strategies to support their loved ones diagnosed with dementia and was an opportunity for carers to learn from each other and from the professionals leading the sessions).
• Designed and developed UnityDEM a service for those with dementia and their carers to receive specialised care (such as cognitive stimulation therapies), training and social opportunities.

Jackie has led the University of Northampton Dementia Research and Innovation Centre (NDRIC) since 2012 and in recognition of her career and achievements, received the Northamptonshire Carers Award for Health & Social Care Champion.

The award is in memory of Melanie Georgiou, a support worker for Northamptonshire Carers from Rushden, who died earlier this year following complications from cancer.

Jackie (pictured with Dawn Panter, Assistant Director for Health, Transformation and Communities at Northamptonshire Carers) says of her award win: “I feel humbled with this recognition and to know it is the result of 20 years work to see a joined-up approach with dementia support across the county, which has always been my vision.

“Giving those in need a space to breathe is one way to summarise some of what health and care partners and I have achieved during that time and will continue to enhance over the coming months and years.”

Mark Major, CEO of Northamptonshire Carers, adds: “I’d like to tell you how very humbling it was for us, looking through this year’s nominations. I am very lucky to have a job that’s about supporting Carers because it means I see on a daily basis that most astonishing thing, the uniqueness and strength of the human spirit, and how sometimes the very worst of situations can bring out the very best in people. Without the support they give today, tomorrow, next week, next month, next year, services would collapse under the strain.”

Find out more about the work of NDRIC.

See the full list of Carers Award winners.