West Wales Dementia Conference
A journey through dementia
Halliwell Centre, Carmarthen, SA31 3EP
Tuesday 1st july 2025
Thank you for joining us at this year’s West Wales Dementia Conference. We hope you found the day informative and engaging, with plenty of opportunities to network and make connections.
What was the agenda?
Agenda: Morning
…..
9:00am - 9:30am
Arrival and Registration
9:30am - 9:45am
Welcome and opening remarks on behalf of the Regional Partnership Board for West Wales
Hazel Lloyd Lubran, Chair West Wales Regional Partnership Board
9:45am-10:00am
An overview of the day
- What’s ahead: Naomi McDonagh
- An introduction to the Regional Dementia Wellbeing Service: James Severs
Download the presentation here:
10:00am-10:30am
Understanding the Regional Dementia Diagnostic Pathway (formally known as MAS): A comprehensive insight
Hearing the voice of lived experience
Gemma Emile
Download the presentation here:
10:30am-11:00am
Introducing the Regional Dementia Connectors: Enhancing collaboration and care across communities
Hearing the voice of lived experience
Aranwen Ellacott
Presentation will be uploaded shortly.
11:00am-11:15am
Break
11:15am-11:45am
Recognising the role of Admiral Nurses:
Supporting unpaid carers across the pathway
Hearing the voice of lived experience
Charlotte Duhig
Download the presentation here:
11:45am-12:15pm
An overview of a ‘Good Life with Dementia’ training:
Designed by people with dementia for people with dementia
Peter Clarke & Damian Murphy
Download the presentation here:
Preparations for the afternoon
12:15pm-13:15pm
Lunch
Agenda: Afternoon
…..
13:15pm-13:30pm
Welcome back – opening remarks from The Older People’s Commissioner for Wales
Rhian Bowen-Davies
13:30pm-14:30pm
Introducing the Regional Advanced Practice Dementia multi-disciplinary wrap-around resource, with an overview of:
- Research & Innovation in Dementia
- Post Diagnostic Intervention
- Foundations in Dementia Wellbeing Programme
- Professional Practice Standards for Allied Health Professionals
- Regional Learning and Development Framework
- Regional Community of Practice for Dementia Practice Development Coaches
Hearing the voice of lived experience
Beca Stilwell, Ellen Turrell, Karen Shearsmith-Farthing, Alexandra (Lexi) Rees, Rosey Meiring, Helen Rawlinson, Rosie Roberts
View the presentation on Canva by clicking here.
14:30pm-15:00pm
Unfinished Pathway Elements
The aspirations and challenges
Beca Stilwell
15:00pm-15:20pm
Q&A discussion and close
This is your chance to engage directly with the presenters! The Q&A panel will take place from 15:00pm – 15:20pm, and we want to hear from you what questions should be asked.
Have a question you want to ask?
15:30pm-16:15pm
Becoming a Dementia Friends Session
For those wishing to become a dementia friend.
Angela Reid
Organisation Showcase
A range of organisations will be showcasing the support they have on offer to those caring for and living with dementia.
If you are interested in having an information stand, please contact us to express interest: wwrpb@carmarthenshire.gov.uk
Who is attending?
Adferiad
Adferiad is a member-led charity that campaigns for and provides services to people affected by mental ill health, drug or alcohol use, gambling harms, and other challenging circumstances
Website:: Adferiad Mental Health and Addiction Support Services
Admiral nurse service
Admiral Nurses are specialist dementia nurses who provide free, expert advice, support and understanding to help families care for their loved one.
Age cymru dyfed
Age Cymru Dyfed operates across Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire, and Ceredigion, supporting individuals over 50 to maintain independence and make the most of later life.
Carers Trust
Carers Trust Crossroads West Wales is a specialist voluntary organisation providing support to Carers, giving them “time” to be themselves.
Website: https://ctcww.org.uk/
Carmarthenshire Libraries
Carmarthenshire Libraries offer a welcoming and supportive environment for people living with dementia, their carers, and families. Through initiatives like the Reading Well for Dementia collection and intergenerational sing-along and reminiscence sessions, the libraries promote memory, connection, and wellbeing. They also showcase innovative tools like the Hark Reader, a device that reads aloud printed text, helping individuals with dementia engage with books and printed materials more easily.
Tel: 01267 224824 or 01554 744327
Email: libraries@carmarthenshire.gov.uk
Libraries & Archives – Carmarthenshire County Council
Llyfrgelloedd Sir Gâr / Carmarthenshire Libraries | Facebook
Connecting Carmarthenshire
Connecting Carmarthenshire is a mental health and wellbeing preventative support service based in Carmarthenshire offering confidential free advice & support to people living throughout the county. Nacro are the Lead Providers for North & West of Carmarthenshire and Pobl are the lead providers for Llanelli, Amman and Gwendraeth.
Connecting Carmarthenshire – Find information and support in Carmarthenshire
Ceredigion Direct Payments
The Direct Payments Support Service provides support and guidance to individuals who choose to receive a direct payment and use the funds to become employers of Personal Assistants, or commission care services that fit their defined outcomes and preferred lifestyle choices.
https://www.ceredigion.gov.uk/resident/wellbeing-and-care/direct-payments/
Dolen Teifi - Transport for All
We are a non-profit making organisation and a registered charity which aims to provide affordable and accessible transport to individuals, organisations, and groups to help achieve social change in our community within the counties of Carmarthen and Ceredigion.
We hire our buses to community groups, individuals, and organisations from communities based in Ceredigion and Carmarthen.
Email: info@dolenteifi.org.uk
Telephone: 01559 362403
Dyfed Powys Police: Cyber Crime Team
Dyfed Powys Police Cyber Crime Team will be at the event of offer advice and support to prevent cyber crime.
Parc Dewi Sant
We have a wellbeing and health campus with dementia group and carers support taking place for free on the site
Website: www.parcdewisant.co.uk
People speak up
Connecting people and creating healthy, resilient communities through storytelling, spoken word, creative writing and participatory arts. We offer creative workshops, volunteering, training, events and conversations.
Website: https://peoplespeakup.co.uk/
Pembrokeshire Young Onset Dementia
Pembrokeshire Young Onset Dementia is a registered charity – 1204991 Pembrokeshire Young Onset Dementia Charity funds a day service for people living in Pembrokeshire who have a formal diagnosis or awaiting a diagnosis of young onset dementia. The service provides the opportunities for them to engage in age-appropriate activities, maintain skills, increase their self-confidence, self-esteem, independence, improving their mental, physical wellbeing, to feel less socially isolated, to feel part of their community and enable them to continue enjoying life. For carers, the service provides 5 hours of respite each week. They are able, to leave their loved ones in a safe and happy environment knowing that they can go off and do whatever they want, rest, catch up with work or housework, shopping, activities, meet friends attend peer support groups etc. For many that may be the only time that they have to themselves. Many carers do not take care of their own physical and mental health, not attending medical appointments; eye tests, dental appointments owing to not being able to leave their cared for. This service provides carers to have the time to take care of their wellbeing enabling them to continue their caring role and prevent them from reaching crisis point.
For further information email Pembsyoungonsetdementia@outlook.com
Mind: Llanelli
Llanelli Mind provides a varied programme of activities, sessions and structured workshops to help with your mental health and wellbeing. You can contact us for referrals or more information on how we can help you or someone you know today.
Website: Home
National Neurodivergence Team (WLGA)
The Team, co-ordinates meetings of the Autism leads forum. The forum offers an opportunity to collaborate in developing and revising key resources and work on an all Wales basis.
Website:
https://neurodivergencewales.org/en/
Older People's Commissioner for Wales
The Commissioner’s Advice and Assistance Team can help to connect you with support and services throughout Wales, and help to ensure your rights are upheld.
So if you have a problem and don’t know where to turn for help and support, please get in touch.
Phone: 03442 640 670
Email: ask@olderpeople.wales
Website link here: Contact the Commissioner’s Advice and Assistance Team – Older People’s Commissioner for Wales
RNDI
We’re here for the 18 million people in the UK who are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus.
With our communities, we’ll change society to make it more inclusive for everyone, help people hear better now and fund world-class research.
Tumble lindy Hop Jive CIC
A Community group that brings a fun, unique and nostalgic form of music and dance to the community suitable for ALL to enjoy. We have specially adapted dances, routines to allow people of all abilities to get involved, whether sitting, standing, using musical instruments or simply watching, listening and enjoying. Our sessions are fully inclusive, fun and hard to resist getting involved in. We are currently working with care homes, nursing homes, Parkinson`s UK, and also providing Therapeutic sessions with a host of community groups.
We get people moving and dancing to music to enhance mental and physical well-being. We tackle loneliness and seclusion.
Website: About your local Lindy hop dance club – Tumble Lindy Hop Jive
VR Headsets
The Connecting Realities Project uses VR and other digital technology as a tool to connect people to wellbeing experiences and community activities they would otherwise struggle to access, to reduce isolation and loneliness and improve health.
The project, which is coordinated by Sarah Beauclerk who has experience in both the creative and care industries, brings together a collaboration of partners, including Hywel Dda, PAVS, Planed, Pembrokeshire County Council, and the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority.
Please get in touch if you would like to get involved or to hear more about the project: connectingrealities@gmail.com
Meet the speakers and the Q&A panel
Hazel Lloyd Lubran
CAVO Chief Executive
– Work with a small team of colleagues at CAVO that support and promote volunteering and community and voluntary groups across Ceredigion.
– Chair of the Regional Partnership Board and co-sponsor regional efforts to develop and recognize the value of preventions through the Regional Preventions Board.
– Currently Chair the Ceredigion Public Services Board and lead a Project Group of partners to collectively improve wellbeing in Cardigan.
James Severs
James Severs is an accomplished Allied Health Professional with over 16 years of experience working across a range of health trusts in England. James is currently serving as the Executive Director of Allied Health Professions and Health Science at Hywel Dda University Health Board, James brings a wealth of clinical, operational and profession leadership experience to his role.
James began his career as a paramedic after graduating from Coventry University and holds a postgraduate degree in Paramedic Science from the University of Hertfordshire. He has held senior leadership roles at Avon and Wilshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust, St Andrew’s Healthcare and most recently Sandwell and West Birmingham where he held role of Chief Allied Health Professional with responsibility for Allied Health Professions and Health Science.
James is committed to raising the profile and demonstrating the impact of the Allied Health Professions and Health Science workforce, and their crucial role in supporting the health and wellbeing of people in local communities – helping them to maintain their independence and to stay healthier for longer.
Damian Murphy
With a background in learning disability nursing, and formation living in community in Latin America, Damian Murphy has spent 25 years working with people with dementia in acute, community and long-term care settings.
After a long association with Innovations in Dementia, he became a co-director in September 2016. His work is almost exclusively alongside people living with dementia and has led on community-based relationship-centred Getting Along project and on the design and facilitation of the Good Life With Dementia approach.
He currently leads on the delivery of the ‘Co-produced Dementia Programmes’ Commission across East Riding of Yorkshire. He also helps facilitate York Minds and Voices and the East Riders , two peer groups forming part of DEEP the UK network of Dementia Voices.
Peter Clark
Peter Clark, 81, living in Ammanford, diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease 4 years ago, his diagnosis (thanks to Admiral Nurse, Liz) became his ticket to a new and more adventurous life, than his expected decline into passive old age.
Gemma Emile
I started my mental health nursing career just over 30 years ago, I remain deeply committed to providing high quality, compassionate care. My focus has always been on making meaningful differences in the lives of patients and their families. I believe I am empathic, resilient and dedicated to continuous learning, as a team we all strive to uphold the highest standards in nursing practice. I have been with the Diagnostic Team for the past 4 years and before that I was a Nurse Lecturer at Cardiff University and have worked in a variety of community and in patient settings.
Charlie Duhig
Charlie Duhig is the clinical lead Admiral Nurse working in the Hywel Dda dementia wellbeing service. She leads a team of 7 specialist Admiral nurses working with unpaid carers of people living with dementia in the community. Charlie is a registered mental health nurse and has extensive experience working in dementia care across a range of services including, acute general hospitals, memory assessment services, frailty teams in primary care and the community. She is a qualified independent non-medical prescriber with a particular interest in frailty and physical health. She has recently completed a Post Graduate Diploma in person-centred dementia studies and is a qualified dementia development care coach
Rhian Bowen-Davies, Older People’s Commissioner for Wales
Rhian began her career as a police officer, before taking on senior leadership roles in the third sector, including Chief Executive of Calan DVS, where she won several national awards in recognition of outstanding leadership.
Rhian was appointed Wales’ first National Adviser for tackling Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence in 2015, independently advising, shaping and informing legislative, strategy and policy developments and driving forward improvements in the prevention, protection and support for all individuals affected by violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence.
Before taking up post as Commissioner, Rhian was recognised as an expert Chair of Domestic Homicide Reviews involving older people, and also worked closely with public bodies and third sector organisations across Wales as an independent consultant, delivering a wide range of research and projects on their behalf to improve policy and practice.
As Commissioner, Rhian is keen to reach out to and hear directly from older people in all types of communities across Wales, particularly those whose voices often go unheard, which will help ensure that older people’s needs are addressed more effectively and their rights are protected.
Linda JOnes
Regional Partnership Programme Manager
Leading the West Wales Regional Partnership Board Team, and its diverse portfolio of work to support partnership working, integration, and a services that benefit the population of West Wales.