Dementia Carer Voices Impact Report

Dementia Carer Voices has produced a key project case study evaluating the impact of the work over several years.

The Impact Report showcases the project’s key achievements across policy, outreach, rights and people over the past seven years, highlighting the activities and connections the project has delivered through its impressive outreach. This key work has been inspired and led by the personal experiences of campaigner and Project Lead Tommy Whitelaw and former MSP, ALLIANCE Director Irene Oldfather.

Since its launch in 2012, the Dementia Carer Voices project has reached over 200,000 people across Scotland and gathered over 28,000 pledges to make a difference to dementia care and key in promoting person-centred approaches, realistic medicine and the ‘What matters to you’ movement across universities and the health and social care sector.

Launched in January 2020, the Carer Voices project will further the work of Dementia Carer Voices in promoting the voices of unpaid carers.

Irene Oldfather, Director of Strategy and Engagement said: “It is humbling to see the range, reach and stories of those who have done so much to make the lives of people with dementia and their carers better. A big thank you to them, our amazing collaborative partners and those with lived experience of dementia who have contributed and have made change possible across Scotland, Europe and beyond. I am privileged to call you my friends and colleagues. And in particular to my colleague Tommy Whitelaw – a kindred spirit whom I met in 2011 and who has continued to inspire the work since. There is a way yet to go and I work to fulfill my own make a difference pledge that “no stone will go unturned and no door unknocked in the pursuit of a better tomorrow for people with dementia”.

Tommy Whitelaw, Project Lead said: “This impact report a celebration of people and relationships and their stories we heard in person and via letters. To the 200,000 people we have met at 950 talks over the years who have shared personal pledges, launched pledge trees and walls and have turned good intentions into purposeful actions, as a team we have had such a privilege to enter into the thoughts hopes dreams and lives of so many. From a personal point to have had the honour to meet so many on my make a difference tour across the country, at my first talk and every talk since I have empathised that over and above policies and strategies it is people who change lives and it is people who make a difference. Flipping conversations from what the matter with you to what and who matters to you, I feel so lucky to have witnessed this on so many days, so many times by so many people on tour and work with such brilliant teammates along the way.”

You can download a full copy of the report here.