Thrive Homecare

Chris is an internationally respected social entrepreneur – working for social change. He co-founded Plan with Care in order to bring change and innovation to the care sector. He believes in the importance of creativity in care, and later life is a time rich with experience. Alongside his role at Plan with Care, Chris is Managing Director of Ladder to the Moon, where he supports care settings to become creative and vibrant places to live and work. Chris’s TEDx talk explains this further (and includes a wonderful story of ex-landlady Beryl leading a care home lock-in!).

?Chris has a Master’s-level qualification in Innovation, Creativity and Leadership from Cass Business School and is a Fellow of the Royal Society for Arts, Manufactures and Commerce.

?What makes Chris tick:
“I love living by the sea in Folkestone with my wife and daughter, and in my spare time I enjoy walking, practical philosophy, playing football (badly) and doing improvised comedy.”

Nathan’s experience of his grandparents going into care triggered a passion to improve the transition for people who find they need care and support to live later life to the full.

He is a Chartered Financial Planner, with over 20 years of experience in financial services. Over that time, he’s put his expert knowledge of pensions, investments and tax planning to use by providing financial planning that is focused on the people he serves. He is a Fellow of the Personal Financial Society, a Member of the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment, and a Member of the Society of Later Life Advisers (SOLLA).

What makes Nathan tick:

“In my spare time, I like to run along the coastline, and I enjoy watching rugby and spending time with my wife and daughter.”

Alise works directly with older people as well as alongside their families and professional carers. She’s specialised in working with people living with dementia, helping them to flourish. She holds a Master’s in Ethical Business Development in Dementia Care, as well as qualifications in Leadership in Person-Centred Dementia Care and Advanced Dementia Care Mapping.

?With over 10 years of experience in the care sector, Alise has worked as a Culture Change Manager and Practice Development Consultant with care homes; delivered training for professional carers, nurses and family carers; and led and contributed to research for the Mental Health Foundation (such as Dementia Truth Inquiry), My Home Life and Innovations in Dementia.
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What makes Alise tick:

“Taking care of other people’s wellbeing means I have to take care of mine too! I’m an active musician and hiker, and am heavily involved in organising community events.”

Jo’s background in healthcare began in 2009 when she completed a management training programme for one of the UK’s leading private elderly healthcare providers. Having undertaken numerous roles across a range of homes during her tenure, Jo developed a passion for providing dignified and person-centred care.

After being a part of several management teams commissioning new homes which specialised in nursing and dementia care, Jo progressed to become a Registered General Manager.

Jo holds a Masters's degree in Management with Distinction and a BA degree in International Studies with Economics. She is also a Registered Intermediary for the Ministry of Justice facilitating communication for vulnerable witnesses.

What makes Jo tick:
"In my spare time, I like to visit pretty places, swim and be with family and friends."

Neil is a qualified social worker with 30 years of experience. Initially, in voluntary work and residential care, he has been working for Kent County Council since the early 1990s, supporting older people and people living with disability in various settings.

Neil has extensive experience in safeguarding people living with dementia and, most recently, managed the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards service for Kent. Neil has a science degree, a Master’s in social care and social policy has been a practice teacher, and is a trained best interests assessor.

What makes Neil tick:
“I am a keen cyclist and member of San Fairy Ann club, so am often to be found touring Kent on a Saturday morning. I also enjoy spending time with my family and friends and walking the Kentish countryside, as well as playing the guitar badly!”

Sally is a dementia specialist consultant trainer. She has worked with older people for her entire career spanning 30 years.

Sally was the first London Regional Development Officer for the Alzheimer’s Society to set up local branches and carers’ support groups. She has also worked in Social Services in London developing best practices in dementia care, and trained as a drama therapist. Following that, she spent ten years with the National Association of Activity Providers; here she pursued her passion for ensuring that life is still for a living if we move into a care home.

?She is the author of a range of books and publications in the field of older people’s care and in the needs of older LGBT+ people.

Sally has been walking alongside her mother through the pain of separation from her husband living with dementia in a care home until he died recently, and feels now, more than ever, she wants to use her expertise to offer guidance to individuals and families who are finding life more difficult as they age.

What makes Sally tick:
“I love being in contact with nature in my daily walks with our rescue dog Daisy. Despite some stereotypes to the contrary, I have enjoyed finding love again in my 50s and spending quality time with my quirky and clever teenage daughter.”

Carrie is a qualified member of the British Association for Counsellors and Psychotherapy. She has years of experience working for a variety of charities, in a range of different settings, using a person-centred approach.

What makes Carrie tick:
“I enjoy keeping fit and active with my family. My son and I are both black belts in Taekwondo, and are currently working towards our 2nd Dan.”

Rebecca has an extensive background in HR and managerial support in Care. She has experience in frontline care and can always be counted on for being calm in a crisis having worked as an Emergency Medical Advisor for Secamb. She has in-depth knowledge of the operational procedure for Care Homes as well as system development and policy writing.

?What makes Rebecca tick:
“I love to go on adventures with my daughter, exploring the many things to do in Kent. I am an avid reader and usually have about 4 books on the go at a time.”

Rupi comes with over ten years of experience working in gerontology as a Registered Nurse. She has experience in acute care and long-term care, as well as practising as a Registered Nurse in Canada and the United States. Many of these years have been spent partnering with long-term care homes and changing the culture of care to one that is driven by a person-centred approach.

Rupi brings experience in leading, developing and implementing regional projects as well as developing bespoke educational plans for long-term care homes, including Dementia care planning, supporting choices in LTC and P.I.E.C.E.S.

What makes Rupi tick:
“Outside of work, I enjoy the beauty of food, everything that nature has to offer and good company. There is something about all three that fill my heart with joy and contentment.”