In this episode of Empathy Unbound, Andrew Phipps interviews Katie Antill, the CEO of Alzheimer's and Dementia Support Services (ADSS) in Kent.

Katie Antill is Chief Executive Officer at ADSS (Alzheimer's & Dementia Support Services) in Kent. She has worked in charities dedicated to people with dementia for over 13 years, after a commercial career in retail. She leads her team to support over 6,000 people a year who are affected by dementia in Kent and is a passionate advocate for the rights of people who need care and support.

ADSS is Kent's biggest independent charity dedicated to the support and care of people affected by dementia and it is their mission that too many people affected by dementia do not get the vital social care, support, and guidance they need. ADSS use their person-centred experience of dementia to define and implement social care services, that reduce the devastating impact the disease can have.

Katie is also a champion for the charity sector within Kent and works within the local health and care system to ensure the work that charities do is recognised for professionalism, dedication and true understanding of the people they help.

The discussion covers the increasing prevalence of dementia, projected to affect over a million people in the UK by 2030, primarily due to an aging population.

Katie shares her personal journey into working with dementia sufferers, the importance of tailored and person-centered care, and the challenges and emotional nuances faced by those diagnosed as well as their caregivers.

They emphasize the need for empathy, support systems, and better treatment and understanding practices both within families and the healthcare system. The conversation also explores the significant role of empathy in leadership and community-building, and looks into future ambitions for ADSS in reaching and supporting more dementia sufferers.

00:00 Dementia on the Rise: The Growing Challenge

01:18 Introduction to Empathy Unbound and Guest Katie Antill

03:35 Katie Antill's Journey to Dementia Support

09:09 The Importance of Empathy in Leadership

12:07 Understanding Dementia: Personal and Societal Perspectives

21:22 Living Better with Dementia: Strategies and Support

26:20 Collaborating with the NHS on Dementia Care

27:37 Challenges Faced by Dementia Patients in Hospitals

28:43 The Importance of Support Post-Diagnosis

29:15 The Debate on Dementia Drug Treatments

30:41 Personal Reflections and Experiences

32:09 Ambitions and Challenges of ADSS

34:04 The Competitive Arena of Charity Funding

35:12 Self-Care and Team Wellbeing

41:18 Creating Dementia-Friendly Workplaces

46:25 Final Thoughts and Call to Action

https://www.alz-dem.org/ take a look at the website mentioned in the podcast. The very first words in the title bar are "How we can help" and I think that sums up everything they do, it's all about helping and that's what people, families need while going through this.

I know Katie and the team would be happy for any support you could offer https://www.alz-dem.org/donate/

If you know someone with dementia or know of a family trying to come to terms with a different way of being don't step away from them, step toward them. People with dementia are the same, it's only the dementia that has changed them, not the person themselves. Show love, kindness, and compassion and be empathic - dementia is a diagnosis, it's what happens next that matters, it's what we all do next that matters.

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