Keith is a retired primary school principal who lives in Leura NSW. He has been caring for his wife of fifty-six years, Bev, who has dementia, for the past thirteen years. For the last five years, Bev has been in residential care, and Keith continues to help with her care, including spending time with her each day. Keith is also very active within the residential aged care facility in Leura, volunteering to assist with other residents, carers and staff.

As a consequence of this experience, Keith has become actively involved with Dementia Australia, Baptist Care NSW, Carers NSW, and the University of Tasmania and numerous research, advocacy and support programs.

As a Dementia Advocate and also with BaptistCare NSW, Keith has had many opportunities to learn about dementia and dementia care and to take up offers to be involved in research programmes and studies, to lobby in focus groups, to attend conferences and forums and to provide support for other carers especially through BaptistCare’s Stronger Carers programme.

Keith’s advocacy activity with Dementia Australia for 2019 includes:

• Attended Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety Community Forum in Bankstown, NSW.
  
• Participant in Age Care Quality Standards focus group - Blue Mountains.
  
• Contributed to Dementia Australia “Walking Safely” resource as consumer reviewer.
  
• Speaker at Dementia Australia Consumer Summit in Canberra.
  
• Contributed photographs to Aged Care Worker Day social media campaign for Dementia Australia.
  
• Participant in Cognitive Impairment project focus group with Australian Commission into Safety and Quality in Health Care.
  
• Participated in Dementia Action Week campaign with Bev, “Dementia Doesn’t Discriminate, Do You?”
  
• Invited guest to Dementia Action Week launch - Sydney Opera House.
  
• Participant in Department of Communities and Justice co-design workshop - new NSW Carers strategy 2020-2025.
  
• Attended NSW Parliamentary Friends of Dementia, launching discussion paper “Dying Well: Improving palliative care and end of life care for people with dementia.”
  

Keith has completed the University of Tasmania’s “Understanding Dementia” MOOC, “Preventing Dementia” MOOC and two units towards their Bachelor of Dementia Care degree. He has also completed a number of NSW Health courses on dementia and dementia care, as well as numerous Dementia Australia and BaptistCare educational programmes over recent years.

Keith’s other interests involve volunteering through Katoomba Neighbourhood Centre, advocacy and support towards Reconciliation and support groups and programs for carers of people with dementia.

Keith is active within the upper Blue Mountains, enjoys walking in such a beautiful environment and interacting with the diverse and dynamic community.

Keith and his good friend, Dementia Advocate Peter Swindell often work together in advocating for and supporting people with dementia and their Carers.