About Me

My name is Simon O’Donovan MBE. I’ve worked in NHS Wales for most of my adult life, supporting people with dementia, their carers and families and developing and improving services to benefit this client group. 

I recently retired from working as a Community Mental Health Nurse within a Young Onset Dementia Service. I continue to contribute to weekly CST 'Friendship Group' sessions as a volunteer co-facilitator.

 

I've been keeping a weekly 'Young Dementia CST Blog' to share and archive our activities resources, with the ultimate aim of providing an 'off the shelf' resource library of weekly themed CST sessions which can be used on rotation throughout the year. 

 

My colleagues and I have been using these approaches regularly in our day to day work and have found them beneficial. The materials provided have been tried and tested, then refined to improve and further develop them for future use.

 

The main aim of this website is to share our experience and resources freely, in order that others can dip in and out and use some or all of the materials provided in their own CST work. Thus it is hoped, facilitating and supporting the provision of uplifting and enjoyable sessions that optimise people with dementia's quality of life.

This site is not owned by or affiliated to any organisation. It’s a personal commitment, a not for profit exchange of ideas and a resource library which aims to enable more widespread use of CST approaches for people with dementia. 

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To this end, 'Guest Blogs' are VERY welcome, but bearing in mind that no images of clients are to be used without their express written informed consent.

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Please note that some images are reproduced on this blog from the internet under the 'fair use copyright' principle, in that they will only be used for educational purposes with disability groups and in no way will be linked to profit making activities.

 

Follow my Twitter feed for updates   @sIMon_deMEntia
  • Follow my Twitter feed for updates

2018 Simon O'Donovan. Proudly created with Wix.com  2019

Feedback Page

This Contact Form provides the opportunity to share feedback about using these materials and to suggest others, for example activities session ideas, quizzes, photos etc etc.

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Please use the form below to share ideas and I will moderate feedback and list items which appear helpful or interesting (noting that some feedback will be automated advertising or irrelevant/unhelpful).

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Contact Form
As of 25th March 2019, there are 95 Twitter followers and 44 subscribers.
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25th March 2019 - Dale Whetter - "Thank you so much for providing so many useful CST resources! I work as an assistant psychologist on an inpatient male dementia ward and we regularly use your information and adapt it to meet the needs of our gents. We love the multi sensory elements. Keep up the good work." 👏👏

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31st October 2018 - Sue, Jersey - "My husband has vascular dementia and is now in full time care.  I wanted to give the staff more detailed information about Pete to help them with the care and support that Pete needs. Your website was sent to me by friend who works with dementia patients here in Jersey where I live. Please could I ask if you could send me a blank Snapshot Assessment for me to complete for Pete."

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24th October 2018 - Stephanie Browne, Later Life and Memory Services, Wigan - "Thanks for getting back to me and for sharing all of that information, it’s really helpful. I wasn’t at the conference unfortunately, but thank you for forwarding on the slides. It seems like you are running a great dementia service and your CST blog is really useful and an excellent resource!"

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16th July 2018 - Susan Round - "Brilliant. Thanks so much for sharing." (West Midlands)

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13th June 2018 - Tim Nicholls - "Such an excellent Blog and activity tool. Thanks for sharing." (Cardiff)

 

 

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