Dementia Care Matters – Inspiring People
Let's introduce ourselves as a team. As individual people we passionately believe that 'Feelings Matter Most' in dementia care. We aim to model ourselves how BEING person centred is at the heart of our approach to learning and developing services.
Leadership is about creating services that hold up an exciting mirror image of what dementia care can look, sound and feel like.
David Sheard - Chief Executive and Founder
Inspiring • Emotional • Driven
Over the last 30 years I have developed a reputation as a challenging and motivational speaker and as a leading dementia care consultant in the UK,Ireland, USA and Canada.
My main focus in speaking has been to hold up a mirror to reflect the realities of dementia care and what it really takes to 'get it'. After 15 years in health and social services in specialist dementia care posts, latterly as a General Manager-Old Age Psychiatry in an NHS Trust, I founded Dementia Care Matters in 1995. My purpose is to demonstrate that dementia care is about emotional care, and that this is no different to what we all need in life.
For over 10 years I worked as an external training consultant to Alzheimer's Society. Our beliefs and approach as a team are outlined in 5 publications which I have authored entitled the 'Feelings Matter Most' series, published by Alzheimer's Society.
I have an appointment as a Visiting Senior fellow in the Division of Health and Social Care, University of Surrey and hold the Honorary degree award of Doctor of the University (DUniv).
In 2009 I worked as a Dementia Care Consultant to the BBC for the programme 'Can Gerry Robinson Fix Dementia Care Homes' believing this was the most powerful way to get the message across that dementia care could be so different.
For the last 30 years I have also been passionate, some might say obsessed, about collecting Victorian tiles.
Peter Priednieks – Director / Senior Consultant
Senior Consultant • Reflective • Coach
I have held a very varied work life, beginning as a Science teacher in Nottingham. In my late 20s I moved to become an RAF Officer with responsibility for training and development. This was followed by being a Training and Development Manager in industry for 13 years.
I joined Dementia Care Matters to work with David in 2000 initially as the Development Manager/Consultant of the team. I have always worked from the perspective that each of us has our own reality and need to be reached in order to realise our potential. Coming into the field of dementia care brought different aspects of my personal and work life together.
I specialise in linking Leadership and Change Management with implementing person centred care. To achieve this I draw on my experience as a Master Practitioner in NLP (Neuro - Linguistic Programming) which explores how people form their identity and view of the world.
I am known to end the day with my catchphrase which is “I need to watch a comedy!”
Sue Shelley – Support Manager
Focused • Detailed • Multi-tasker
I joined Dementia Care Matters in March 2009 as Support Manager as I was seeking a role more connected to making a difference in people's lives. This role is significantly greater than any PA/Office Manager role as I need to act as the glue within the team in its massively diverse roles of consultancy, presentations, training and service development.
I was warned about the massive work load but have experienced no other job like this in terms of the quantity of work produced. I am responsible for providing a PA service to David Sheard which is no mean feat!
I manage the organisation's total administration. This includes working with the Team Administrator in supporting the team's training requirements and liaising with course participants.
I do my best to keep on top of things but the great thing is if I fail there's always chocolate.
Helen Walton – Development Director
Strategic • Open • Solution Focused
Whilst being a mother and running my own business I undertook a degree in Business and Management at the University of York. For many years I worked in retail, hospitality and leisure, but was looking for a new, more demanding challenge I could identify with and found it in the care sector. I began as a manager of a large domiciliary care provider in York.
I followed this with seven years as Development Manager with Alzheimer's Society's, Quality Care Team which subsequently became the Learning and Development Team. My role involved advising on the production of Alzheimer's Society's dementia care resources and training for the care sector. This included promoting the value of learning and development of care staff, working in partnership with many care providers across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. I've already worked extensively alongside Dementia Care Matters, particularly in the production of the 'Feelings Matter Most' series of publications.
My role in Dementia Care Matters is to assist the Directors in the strategic development of Dementia Care Matters Model of care. I manage the Dementia Care Matters National External Programme and am the first point of contact for people wishing to explore the range of consultancy support, training and service development that Dementia Care Matters can provide. I also provide development consultancy directly with care providers enabling care services to achieve quality of life improvements.
I am in my element when hosting regular gatherings of friends and family, providing food and duvets “The Waltons” style.
Jenny Mackenzie - Consultant Nurse. 
Reflective • Committed • Senior Educator
I qualified as a Registered General Nurse in 1980 and subsequently spent 9 years in clinical practice, including a spell as a theatre nurse, followed by posts in acute medicine and the care of older people, with a special interest in people with a dementia.
Moved by a desire to make change happen I accepted a role in NHS management with strategic responsibility for innovation and practice development in older people's services. This role involved implementing the Department of Health's Strategies for Nursing and for Research in all hospital and community nursing services; leading and delivering franchised, university and professional body accredited diploma and degree level modules and programmes; designing and delivering multi-professional training as part of the drive towards evidence based and quality conscious practice and consulting on the design of district wide quality standards.
My career then took me into higher education. I studied a master's degree at the University of Bradford and subsequently conducted Department of Health funded research into nurse education, equality and diversity and the support of Eastern European and South Asian family carers of people with a dementia.
After a number of years in Research and Nurse Lecturer posts I became Senior Lecturer in Dementia Studies at the University of Bradford, where I led the Bradford of England's first MSc Dementia Care, in collaboration with the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work at the University of Manchester. Prior to taking up this post as Nurse Consultant I worked as a Family Support Worker, then Dementia Champion Trainer and Programme Development Manager at the Alzheimer's Society.
I am passionate about animal welfare and when not working I am a volunteer foster carer for Irish Retriever Resue, rehabilitating and helping rehome Golden Retrievers.
Daren Felgate – Consultant Trainer 
National Perspective • Fun • Expert Facilitator
After growing up in Liverpool and moving to London I have worked in learning and development for nearly 20 years. I began as a researcher and trainer with the charity Directory of Social Change.
In 1997 I joined the Alzheimer's Society helping to develop their care services within at that time the Care Consortium. Subsequently as Training Development Manager at Alzheimer's Society I helped to commission, develop and produce a range of publications and training resources including 'Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow' and 'Tomorrow is Another Day'. Within the Society I was involved externally in delivering training programmes and consultancy to a range of dementia care providers. The Alzheimer's Society publication 'Planning dementia care learning and development' was authored by me.
In 2008 I joined AgeCare, a charity with care homes where my role was to provide dementia care related learning and supporting the development of dementia care within AgeCare and other organisations. I joined Dementia Care Matters having worked extensively over the last 10 years alongside David and Peter in the development of their work. This has given me the opportunity to promote and train on approaches in dementia care in which I firmly believe.
I honour my roots through a lifetime passion for Liverpool football club.
Gillian Brooks – Consultant Trainer
Feeling-based • Determined • Connected
I have over twenty years experience working with older people with a dementia - in care home settings in people's own homes and in hospital.
My early experiences were as a nursing auxiliary and care assistant. After qualifying as a social worker in 1986 I worked in a management role in a residential care home for people with a dementia.
For fourteen years I worked in Community and Hospital Social Work with Older People as a Senior Social Worker and later as an Assistant Team Manager. I have been involved with staff training, practice teaching for social work students and as an NVQ4 Assessor and continue to be registered with the General Social Care Council.
In recent years I have worked in the Voluntary Sector for Crossroads in Birmingham setting up and running a service supporting families of someone with a dementia. It was during this time that I became absorbed in dementia training and became a passionate advocate of Dementia Care Matters Model of Care with a focus on improving quality of life. In the last couple of years I worked as an independent dementia trainer joining Dementia Care Matters in the role of Consultant Trainer. It is my heartfelt belief that Feelings Matter Most in the care sector and for all of us and this is an inspiring way of reaching out to nurses and care staff.
I love to dance! I am a hanky waving, stick throwing morris dancer.
Pat Kite - Training Administrator
Positive • Social • Committed
I have had an enormously varied work life also ranging from retail work, being a buyer in a department store to working as a business centre manager.
It was in my latter role in Brighton when Dementia Care Matters brought in work to the Business Centre that they persuaded me to join them in 2002 as their office manager, in what should have been my retirement year! In another life, David tells me I would have been a brilliant consultant/trainer for Dementia Care Matters but my strong commitment to my family means I wouldn't wish to travel. I am utterly committed to this work and David would say I absolutely 'get it'!
I now work as Training Administrator, responsible for course bookings, organising training resources and in my spare time shopping extensively for the team's training themes. I work alongside Sue in helping her as Support Manager in providing a full administrative service to the team.
I like nothing more than spending time at the playground, the beach and splashing around in my washing up bowl with my wonderful little grandson and at last my husband has got someone to play with.
Maureen Howe - Associate (academic assessment)
I qualified as a registered nurse in 1966 and have worked with older people for the last 30 years many who are living with a dementia. I completed my working life as Dementia Champion. Determined to make a difference for people with dementia where I worked, I set out on my journey gathering up like minded people to help me achieve this. During this time I trained to become a Trainer in Person Centred Care, I undertook Dementia Care Matter's one year Diploma Level course "An Emotional Journey" and other training with the support of Dementia Care Matters and the Alzheimer’s Society.
Since retiring from full time work I continue to train care home staff and also work as a part time lecturer for The University of the West of England. In this way I get the message about People with Dementia to a wide audience. I am looking forward very much to my new role marking assignments for those undertaking the Diploma Level course. I am envious of you all. I have very happy memories of the course.
I love gardening, cooking, spending time with family and friends and walking. I continue to be passionate about making a difference for People living with a Dementia.
Andrea Linnell - Associate (academic assessment)
As a recently retired member of the West Sussex County Council Adult Services Training Section latterly as their lead on the mental health of older people, I have worked with Dementia Care Matters over several years and found it truly inspiring. I completed the Diploma level course in Person Centred Dementia Care in 2008.
I have worked in different settings in training and learning for 20 years and before that worked in the voluntary sector. Dementia care now seems to be the most exicting area of health and social care and for me brings in many other interests for example emotional literacy, spirituality and the arts.
I enjoy working with a variety of "partners" and always hope to develop inititatives across "boundaries."
Phyl Tappin - Associate (academic assessment)
During my Nursing degree at University of Surrey I was lucky to have access to the work of Roger Heron, the “person centred” concept. After a Diploma in Health Visiting, I worked in the community. Dementia first came and hit me in the face when my mother deteriorated with a dementia. Although I had professional experience as a nurse, this was up close and personal.
As an outreach worker for the Alzheimer’s Society it was a privilege to support many people with a dementia and their carers, both one-to-one and in groups. I became committed to developing training, and the challenges and opportunities of dementia care. It has been satisfying raising the profile of dementia care and training with many different organisations, including schools, DWP, Poole Hospital Dementia Champions project, as well as residential homes. Now I work as an independent trainer with the freedom to develop. The evolving work of David and Peter and the team is a constant inspiration.
In spirit I am an innovator and developer. Counselling and stress management are key interests, including the spiritual and psychological aspects. I have had to “take my own medicine” many times. This meshes neatly with dementia care, which I see as an opportunity for personal growth where we need to look after ourselves as well as those we care for in a working community.