Wendy Perry Email & Phone Number

Calabasas, California, United States

Sourced and analyzed demographic, health behaviour and sevice performance/patient outcomes data to provide a better understanding of the health and care needs of older people within Perth and Kinross to inform a Joint Strategic Needs Assessment. As a part of this project I collaborated with health practitioners, local government, area residents and representatives of services for older people. Through facilitating engagement events and analysing available data, I created a local profile, and an overview of current and needed dementia services across the Shire.

Stirling, Scotland

In addition to the creation and delivery of dementia specific training and resources, I am responsible for managing the Learning and Development and Business Support teams. I am also closely involved in national dementia strategy focus groups, Centre strategy development, writing funding bids, and oversight of budgets and funded projects. I collaborate with international partners to create educational resources for health and social care workers worldwide, and write new educational and informational care resources for use with family carers, community based services as well as health and social care staff.

Stirling, Scotland

At the DSDC I develop bespoke training courses, deliver training, speak at conferences and events, and write academically and informally about dementia related issues. I also provide consultancy services for organisations needing guidance or looking for coaching in their dementia support services. A regular part of my job is to participate in environmental audits as a part of the DSDC dementia design accreditation programme, and I have a strong knowledge base around how dementia design can benefit practice. I regularly facilitate courses for a wide range of carers, nurses, and leadership across the NHS, and social care sectors on topics such as Understanding Behaviour, Alcohol and dementia, Communication, Best Practice, Meaningful Activity, and Leadership. I also engage on a daily basis with family carers, both through education and through advising and supporting.A really great part of my job is working with a team of people who are also passionate about and committed to enhancing the lives of people living with dementia.

Scotland

I developed a long term organisational strategy for Balhousie Care Group focused on improving the quality of existing dementia specific services, as well as training staff and building skilled leadership in all services to promote personalised services and positive outcomes for all residents living with dementia in Balhousie homes. This strategy is guided by current Scottish policy and the Scottish National Dementia Strategy, and incorporates evidenced based practices in areas of anti-psychotic medication reduction, and non-pharmacological interventions for behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia.I implemented this strategy across the organisations' residential and care homes. As a part of evaluating the success of the strategy, I provided regular Dementia Care Mapping observational exercises to identify current staff learning needs and service development opportunities.I have also provided training across the workforce at the skilled and enhanced level of the Promoting Excellence in Dementia Care educational framework (developed by NHS Education Scotland), and completed an impact evaluation of the training looking at attitude change as a result of training in nearly 550 carers and nurses. If you are interested in the results of this evaluation I have uploaded a presentation on the data that I presented at the International Dementia Conference, in November of 2015 in Birmingham.

Dundee, United Kingdom

I worked a short-term contact with national level council during which I supported the recruitment of Dementia Ambassadors in health and social care settings across Scotland. I also focussed on developing content for an educational i-Pad based training course aimed at the health and social care workforce entitled 'Personal Outcomes for People Living with Dementia'.This app is now available for free download on the Apple i-Tunes store. To read more about this app follow the link below.

Cohorts Located Across England

I worked on a large scale national research project in conjunction with the Alzheimer's Society, Oxford University, King College, London, and Newcastle University aimed at reducing the use and prescription of anti-psychotic medications for people with dementia living in care homes through the use of non-pharmacological behavioural interventions. I provided a 60 hour training programme for the homes involved in the project, as well as meeting regularly with them during a six month period of programme implementation.During the course of this project I had the opportunity to coach and mentor healthcare staff who are committed to culture change in care homes. This has given me wide ranging experience with the challenges facing large health-care organisations as well as smaller organisations and independent homes within the UK as they seek to embed evidenced based practices in their residential and care homes.

South East England And The Midlands

I provided basic and advanced dementia care training, and delivered a dementia specialist Btec course to healthcare staff. In addition to the regular training I provided dementia care mapping to develop the quality of services offered to residents living with dementia. I was also available for care consultation to the nursing and residential homes within the organisation as the needs arose.While at AgeCare I spearheaded a program in 4 homes in which staff choose one area of their services which they felt could be more person centred. I guided and mentored them through a process of researching the evidence base around issues like meal time experience, bathing, meaningful activity, etc. Through bespoke training and improved tools, the staff were empowered to make positive changes in the lives of the residents in their homes.During my time at AgeCare I used Dementia Care Mapping to look at how staff training could improve the quality and quantity of engagement between staff and residents living with advanced dementia. I used this research to inform my Masters dissertation and presented on the results at the UK Dementia Congress in Brighton in 2012. If you are interested in this project I have uploaded the presentation below.

Oxford, United Kingdom

I served as the interim Branch Manager during their One Society restructuring. I was responsible for overseeing the support services and staff of the Oxfordshire branch. I worked with the County Council regarding service contracts, and participated in several local committees working on the implementation of the National Dementia Strategy. During this time there were many internal changes to the branch structure and I worked closely with branch committees on service development, organizational change management, and strategic planning.

South Bend, Indiana Area

Holy Cross Village is a continuing care retirement community located next to the University of Notre Dame. It is now home to over 300 residents with various levels of independence, and focuses on cutting edge programs and inter-generational community. As the Life Enrichment Director I was hired in October of 2007 to create a brand new program and design opportunities that keep people active, independent and meaningfully involved in the larger community. As a part of my daily responsibilities I oversaw all of the life enrichment staff for the dementia care, nursing care, assisted living and independent living areas, as well as oversight of staff and programming for a state of the art fitness center, computer lab and transportation department. During this expansion phase for the community I also created ties between local university and colleges and the retirement community to expand class-auditing options for residents.

South Bend, Indiana Area

I was hired in 2005 to increase awareness of company services in the community, to assist staff with transition from unlicensed to licensed, and to train staff for the expansion of services to include dementia care and the addition of short-term rehabilitation and medicare patients. Prior to my arrival the care home had been a care home specifically for an order of Catholic Brothers, and there was little history of service use from outside the order. Because this was a new service being offered by Holy Cross Village I needed to develop relationships and referral sources from within the acute care community, as well as marketing the care services to the community at large. I did this through personal contact, offering on-site educational programs, running health fairs to bring the community into the facility, and regular networking.

South Bend, Indiana Area

I managed a 22 resident memory care unit within a larger nursing home community. During my time at Cardinal I raised the occupancy level from 63% to 100% with a waiting list in less than a year. I also started a carers support group for family members caring for a loved one with dementia. I assisted with the dementia awareness and person-centred training throughout the larger home, as well as working closely with the medical director and psychiatrist to reduce the use of anti-psychotic medications through planned behavioural interventions.

Burbank, California

At Beverly Manor I ran the "Enabling Freedom" dementia care program in a dementia specific 89 resident community in Burbank California. Because this was an exceptionally diverse community, both among staff and residents, I focused on the development of culturally specific activity opportunities and oversaw bi-lingual staff that ran programming in two languages.While in this position (2000) I was recognised by the California Association of Healthcare Facilities for excellence in programming as well as a part of a team recognised for excellence in care (1999 & 2000).

Pgcert, Management And Leadership In Social Services, Applied Professional Studies

Associate Fellowship, Hea, Learning And Teaching

Preparation course for teaching in Higher Education.

Msc, Dementia Studies

My dissertation used Dementia Care Mapping to look specifically at how people with advanced stages of dementia communicate and developed.

Bachelor'S Degree, Family Social Science/Gerontology