A simple formula with powerful consequences – by Zoe Harris

This is an extremely powerful post by inspirational Zoe Harris, founder and director of Care Charts UK, a social enterprise set up in the light of her late husband’s experience with dementia.

I was delighted when Zoe came along to our ‘launch event’ for our series of sixteen Whose Shoes?® sessions in West Kent to build ‘dementia friendly communities’.

West Kent has been a wonderful breeding ground for people who really ‘get’ Whose Shoes?® and are keen to be part of the assets-based approach we are trying to build, raising awareness but specifically seeking to fire local people to take action and spread the fires of positive change.

As a result of this first session, Zoe became a Whose Shoes? facilitator as an extra way to channel the insight, passion and knowledge gained through her long experience of caring for Geoff. I am very honoured to be associated with Zoe and her wonderful work.

Personal reflections on health, social care and housing

I was honoured to be asked to facilitate one of the events being run by Age UK and Age Concern recently to promote dementia friendly communities in West Kent. This series of 16 sessions used the WhoseShoes? co-production tool to spark debates and encourage attendees to share their knowledge and experience, and think about what they might do in their community to make life easier for people living with dementia.

Having cared for my husband Geoff whilst he struggled to cope with the debilitating effects of Alzheimer’s Disease, and seen how society chose to turn its collective face away, I loved the fact that previously taboo topics were being aired, not at some theoretical or academic level, but amongst ordinary people who would leave the session and go about their daily lives with myths debunked and a fresh appreciation of how they might be able to make a positive difference.

“Add a personal story if you feel comfortable with that,” suggested Gill Philips…

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