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Our online conference on 30 September was a resounding success. The proceedings were introduced by NCI Director Rishi Jawaheer, followed by Joyce’s presentation on the history of Namaste Care
We enjoyed thought-provoking and moving contributions from leading speakers around the world in the field of social care and allied disciplines:
Naomi Feil, Founder, Validation Training Institute
Vikki De Klerk Rubin, Executive Director, Validation Training Institute
Mari Groenendaal, Lecturer Practitioner, Leiden University Medical Center
Helen Priniotaki, Assistant Director, Hliataxida Nursing Home, Heraklion
Danai Theodosopoulou, Research Fellow, University of Nottingham
Tammy McLellan, Principal Trainer, Scottish School of Child & Baby Massage
Maggie Grady, Director of Music Therapy, Mindsong
Our third conference took place online on 24 September, with a truly international presence of nearly 300 delegates.
The day began with an introduction by NCI Director Rishi Jawaheer, followed by Professor Simard’s presentation on the history of Namaste Care. Our first speaker was April Dobson, Head of Dementia Care & Wellbeing at Hallmark Care Homes in the UK, on “Namaste Care in Practice”.
Next Dr. Michael Verde, Founder of Memory Bridge, joined us from Indiana, USA with a presentation on “The Moral Challenge of Alzheimer’s Disease”. He was followed by Petra Tasseron, Nurse Practitioner at Leiden University Medical Center in The Netherlands, exploring the theme “Building partnerships with family caregivers in the Namaste Care program”.
Nicola Jacobson-Wright, Dementia Practice Development Coach at the University of Worcester then spoke on “Teaching Namaste Care in a Pandemic”, addressing whether it is possible to impart the importance of loving touch through online learning. Our final speaker was Grace Meadows, Programme Director of UK charity Music for Dementia, on the theme “Making music a part of the everyday to enhance and enrich care for those living with dementia and their carers”.
Min Stacpoole, Champion for England then had the pleasurable task of announcing the results of the Kimberly St. John Essay Prize, which we report below.
At the end of a stimulating, thought-provoking and enjoyable event Rishi and Joyce thanked all speakers and delegates for their contributions, and expressed the wish that we will all meet again virtually in 2022.
I’m delighted to report that the second NCI conference was a resounding success! Many of those attending fed back that they wanted more time to hear from the NCI Champions, so next year we will give them more time to talk about how their country is implementing Namaste Care. I just heard that someone from Germany is going to speak about Namaste Care at a forthcoming conference. I will also be speaking in Singapore for the Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI) 34th International Conference March 12 – 21 2020, and that may lead to more
