Amanda McCarren

Head of tide Development and National Lead for Scotland and Northern Ireland

My role involves working closely with a wide range of partners at local, regional and national levels. I will strive to ensure that tide and any organisation we work with meet our high standards for carer engagement. By doing this we will enable carers to effectively participate as equal partners in any and all processes available to them.

About Amanda…

I began my career training as an adult general nurse but quickly moved from acute care into the community, working in health and social care for the last 12 years. My experience lies within the voluntary sector where I held supervisory and management roles for a charitable organisation including dementia day care and care at home. This was where my passion for dementia care started and where it has continued to grow over the years.

In 2006 my grandmother was diagnosed with vascular dementia and I supported my family as we cared for her at home for 5 years before she passed away after a short stay in a nursing home. I naively thought all my professional experience and knowledge would prepare me for what lay ahead, however no amount of training or experience matters when the person with dementia is a loved one. I witnessed first hand the struggles that dementia carers face on a daily basis and it galvanised my resolve to do something about it.

I joined the National Dementia Carers Action Network as a volunteer where for 5 ½ years I campaigned to raise awareness for the rights of dementia carers and the need for better support and services.

I am still extremely passionate about dementia and I am absolutely committed to ensuring dementia carers have a voice, it is listened to and that they are treated as true equal partners in the care of their loved ones.