September 2002
News

A fitting Tribute to Professor Tom Kitwood

Poetry, prose and photographs capturing the thoughts and feelings of people with dementia and their carers have been captured in a special book produced by the University's Bradford Dementia Group.

The book, entitled 'Each Person is Special', features some of the hundreds of entries sent in as part of the Professor Tom Kitwood Memorial Competition. The late Professor Kitwood established and was head of Bradford Dementia Group from 1992 until 1998. Tom's specific concern in the field of dementia was the promotion of person-centred care. Tom's work touched the lives of many people and inspired many more to take new and innovative approaches to improve the quality of care for people with dementia.

The competition was organised as Bradford Dementia Group sought something positive and celebratory in which to use the Tom Kitwood Memorial Fund. They wanted to create and organise something that would involve people with dementia and their carers, and that would also reflect Tom's own commitment to the 'grass roots' of dementia care.

Judges of the competition found it difficult to choose winners for each category of the competition, and the task of selecting entries for the book was an even greater challenge. The book reveals great insights into the process of caring for a person with dementia, each entry giving a voice or image to a deeply felt experience. All the entries portray that 'each person is special'. The book was launched to coincide with the Bradford Dementia Group's ten-year anniversary.

Professor Murna Downs, Head of the Bradford Dementia Group, said: "The book, with its illustrations of the rich relationships and lives people with dementia enjoy, is a fitting tribute to Tom. His work was pioneering in emphasising the importance of emotional connections and relationships for ensuring that people living with dementia and their families do just that - live."

The book was funded by the Professor Tom Kitwood Memorial Fund and all sale proceeds go back into the fund. The book costs £5 and can be obtained by contacting Linda Fox on 01274 (23)3996 or email l.j.fox@bradford.ac.uk Cheques should be made payable to the University of Bradford.

This poem won first prize in the Tom Kitwood Memorial Competition:

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