North West Dementia Care Manager named as a finalist at the National Dementia Care Awards 2024

Natasha Wilson, Dementia Care Manager at HC-One, was nominated for the ‘Most Inspiring Leader in Dementia Care Award’ by Anne-Marie Potter, Specialist Dementia Service Lead at HC-One’s Specialist Dementia Care Community at Meadow Bank Care Home.

The award recognises Natasha’s specialist oversight and guidance she provides to her team. Natasha is committed to making a positive impact and outcome to the lives of those individuals affected by dementia.

The National Dementia Care Awards celebrate the outstanding practice and excellence in dementia care services across 10 different award categories. The award ceremony highlights the hard work of individuals, who work across the social care sector, and their commitment to delivering person-centred care for those living with dementia.

In Natasha’s role as Dementia Care Manager for HC-One, she provides specialist advice to care home teams supporting people with dementia and she has a specific role in Meadow Bank Care Home’s Specialist Dementia Care Community in Preston, Lancashire which she visits on a weekly basis.

Natasha inspires and supports others with her extensive understanding of dementia and constantly prompts those around her to consider how they can do things better and differently to drive high standards of care. Natasha has introduced specialist training around the wellbeing of residents.

Outside of HC-One Natasha is an Associate Lecturer at The University of Worcestershire, Association for Dementia Studies’. She is also the founder and chair of ‘Dementia Dreammakers’, an independent charity in Sheffield which aims to facilitate life enhancing experiences for people living with dementia in Sheffield.

In addition to helping to make individual’s dreams come true, Natasha has conducted a series of practical learning events with the charity to help family and friends support people living with dementia including in their own home.

Recently Natasha has been awarded a prestigious 2024 Churchill Fellowship to research how individuals can best support families to provide good end of life dementia care. This will allow Natasha to research best practice in The Netherlands, USA and Canada to help influence end of life care policy.

Speaking on herself being shortlisted as a finalist, Natasha Wilson, Dementia Care Manager, said:

“I am honoured and really moved to have been shortlisted as a finalist in the ‘Most Inspiring Leader in Dementia Care Award’ category at the National Dementia Care Awards 2024.

“It is a privilege to support people living with dementia across HC-One to live their best lives by trying to change the narrative about what is still possible. The incredibly passionate and dedicated teams around me inspire me every single day! I look forward to attending the award ceremony at the end of the month.”

Aileen Beatty, Head of Dementia Care at HC-One, commented:

“Natasha shows an impressive degree of commitment to improving the lives of people with dementia be that in a work or in her own time locally. She lives and breathes dementia care, and her contagious passion and determination is what inspires others.”

The award ceremony of the 14th National Dementia Care Awards 2024 will take place at the Cutlers’ Hall in Sheffield on Thursday 26 September 2024.