ENTREPRENEURS FOR GOOD SUSTAINABLE RETAIL CONSUMPTION A NEW WAVE OF PHILANTHROPY
CONTENTS GARDENS FOR GOOD ENTREPRENEURS FOR GOOD
DECADE AHEAD COMPETITION
FUTURE PLANNING AND LEGACY MANAGEMENT
In our January edition, we looked into our crystal ball to see what would make a big impact in 2019.
WORKFORCE OF THE FUTURE LOCAL KNOWLEDGE MAKES A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE DRONES FOR GOOD OLD DOGS, NEW TRICKS DOES DOING GOOD MAKE YOU FEEL GOOD? A NEW WAVE OF PHILANTHROPY CARE FOR GOOD AHEAD TOGETHER RETAIL ECONOMICS LEADING EDGE
This year, the environment, electric cars, reinventing the High Street and the NHS have all increased their profile significantly. We are now planning our Decade Ahead edition for January 2020. A few of the areas we are starting to look into with leading experts include: • • • • •
AI and big data Autonomous vehicles Climate change 5G Space tourism and exploration
We would love to have your input. What other themes do you think we should explore? There will be £200 worth of vouchers from TravelLocal for the best idea. Please email DA@roydswithyking.com with your idea. *Terms and conditions apply see https://www.roydswithyking.com/terms-conditions/
Our collaboration with Richard Lim, CEO of Retail Economics certainly reflects this. His recent research found that over two thirds of consumers would choose a brand with a proven sustainability record and over 50% of consumers claim to be living more sustainable lives.
DOING GOOD In this edition of our magazine we are highlighting good business practices that are really making a difference to our society. Even though we are living in difficult times, there is a huge desire to contribute to society and a longing amongst individuals and businesses to set an example for others by doing good. We look at how doing good can make you feel good.
Our entrepreneurs feature looks at how digital healthcare research business Vitaccess has harnessed the power of technology to better represent patients and ensure they have a voice and can be more proactive in understanding their condition. We think more creatively about the physical workspace and how investment in this area can have a big impact on productivity, engagement and staff well-being. We profile Bristol-based travel business, TravelLocal which allows customers to create their holidays directly with local experts ensuring international tourism benefits the local economy. By 2020, for the first time in history, the number of people aged 65 and over will outnumber children aged five and under. We are delighted to have awardwinning Times columnist Camilla Cavendish share with us her ten lessons for an ageing world. Graham Street Managing Partner
“PL ANTS PROVIDE A L L HUMAN FOOD EITHER DIRECTLY OR
G A RDE N S F OR GOOD A S RECO RD-B RE AKING FIRE S RIP T HROU GH T HE AMAZO N — AN E CO S YS T E M ON W HI C H THE WHO LE WO RLD DE PE NDS, W E LOOK AT THE IMPO R TANC E O F GRE E N S PACES. GA RDE NS WE RE FIR S T CO NC E IVE D I N T HE Z HOU DYNAS T Y IN C HINA , OV E R 3,0 00 Y EA RS AGO. TO DAY, GARD E NS ARE P L ACES OF S O L AC E , S ANC TUARY AND CA L M. BOTA NIC GARDE NS ARE OAS E S O F BI OD I V ERS IT Y D E VO TE D TO RE S E ARC H, ED U C AT I ON, PL ANT CO NS E RVATIO N AN D I N CREA S I NGLY, HU MAN WE LLB E ING.
INDIRECTLY, THE MEDICINES WE TAKE AND TH E C LO THES W E W E AR . O UR E XIS T EN C E DE PE NDS UPO N TH EI R SUSTAINAB LE USE . “ Like many botanic gardens, Oxford has glasshouses to cultivate plants that originate from diverse climates. Many are familiar and have changed the world in one way or another, including citrus, tobacco, tea, rice and papyrus. Others have contributed to technology for good more subtly. Floating ‘water lettuces’ which grow in the glasshouses’ central lily pond produce velvety leaves which have minute hairs to trap air bubbles to increase the plants’ buoyancy. These extremely waterrepellent leaves have inspired material science-led solutions to absorbing oil spills. Nearby grow stands of sacred lotus. Their extraordinary ‘self-cleaning’ leaves are covered in a waxy, water-repellent surface upon which water forms spherical beads that roll off, transporting dirt and contaminants as they do so. This surface is also of interest to material scientists seeking to develop commercial applications. Above the central pond hang baskets of tropical carnivorous pitcher plants. Their leafy vessels entice insects which tumble from a slippery rim into a pool of digestive juices, and provide nutrients for the plant.
“RESEARCH CARRIED OUT AT THE BOTANIC GARDEN ALONGSIDE THE UNIVERSIT Y OF OXFORD MATHEMATICIANS AND ENGINEERS SUGGESTS THAT THE WATER-AT TRACTING SLIPPERY SURFACE OF THESE PITCHER PL ANTS COULD HAVE APPLICATIONS IN INDUSTRY, IN MICRO-FLUIDIC OR ANTI-
“A S TROL L THROU GH THE E M ERA L D, LEA F Y CO RRI D ORS OF THE GL A SSHOUSE S RE V EA LS A SSORTED B O TA N I CA L OD D I TI ES FROM A ROU N D THE WORLD. ”
The Oxford Botanic Garden is the oldest botanic garden in the UK, founded in 1621. It has been a centre of botanical research where people have marvelled at the scientific wonder of plants for centuries. It was founded as a ‘physicke garden’ for the cultivation of medicinal plants for the University of Oxford’s medical students. The Garden occupies a unique place in history and academic location as the birthplace of botanical science in the UK. Today the Garden and its sister site, Harcourt Arboretum hold a collection of 5,000 plant species, some of which are exceptionally rare in the wild.
FOGGING DEVICES.” Our existence depends upon the sustainable use of plants. Botanic gardens promote important messages through education and engagement, in addition to carrying out research to deliver solutions to unprecedented global challenges. In a frenetic world, botanic gardens provide a green and diverse oasis of calm, where people can relax and seek mental and spiritual wellbeing. Plants and green spaces are essential for human health. Conceived as medicinal gardens centuries ago, botanic gardens remain important places for human healing. They are veritable gardens for good.
TECHNOLOGY FOR GOOD
ENTREPRENEURS FOR GOOD
“
We developed MyRealWorld® to give patients a leading role in providing the information that helps researchers understand their disease and improve treatment. We had found that how diseases and treatments impact patients’ lives in real time can be very different from the impact measured in clinical trials. We designed the App by collaborating with patients, patient advocacy groups and medical professionals from around the world. By allowing patients to capture information in real time, with scientific rigour on a mobile App, we are ensuring that they have a voice and can be more pro-active.”
Dr Mark Larkin, Founder & CEO, Vitaccess
APRIL 2014 – NOW
CAREER CURVE
Founded Vitaccess
JULY 2008 – MARCH 2014 JUNE 1999 – JANUARY 2002 Analyst, Credit Suisse First Boston
MAY 2002 – MARCH 2003 Science & Technology Office, British Embassy Paris
FEBRUARY 2004 – JULY 2008 Manager at Bionest Partners
Partner at PRMA Consulting
WHO DOES VITACCESS WORK WITH? Vitaccess works with patient advocacy groups (over 30, and counting), including cancer charity Melanoma UK. In 2017 in collaboration with Melanoma UK and the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, Vitaccess created the Melanoma UK Digital Registry. Data is collected in real time from smartphones, enabling patients to complete surveys at their own convenience. Data is submitted to a cloud-based platform and users can see and analyse the anonymised aggregated data in real time. The data is available free of charge to academic researchers and hospitals and through a subscription service to the health tech and life sciences industry. Any profits are shared between Vitaccess and Melanoma UK. Patients prefer electronic data collection because it can’t be lost and they can complete questionnaires when they want to. It’s also a more convenient way to share their data with friends, family and healthcare professionals. Electronic data also reduces the number of errors in manual data collection and entry. Since launch there have been regular patient feedback sessions to improve the user experience.
PATIENT BENEFITS ACROSS ALL THE MYREALWORLD® PLATFORMS INCLUDE: •
Can use on any device, whenever and wherever
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App is available in their language – currently working across 14 countries in 20 languages
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Track their symptoms and treatments
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Interact with people who have the same disease and similar experiences
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Gives them a voice and a more active role in expanding their knowledge
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Actively help researchers by participating and answering questions
HEALTH TECHNOLOGY / LIFE SCIENCE INDUSTRY BENEFITS WITH MYREALWORLD® INCLUDE: We met with Dr Mark Larkin, Founder and CEO of Vitaccess to understand how they have harnessed the power of digital technology to better represent patients and ensure they have a voice and can be more pro-active in understanding their condition. HOW DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY IS GIVING PATIENTS A VOICE Founded in Oxford in 2014, Vitaccess is an entrepreneurial multi-award winning global digital healthcare research scale-up and strategic consultancy.
WHERE DID THE INSPIRATION FOR VITACCESS COME FROM? Realising that medical researchers wanted to hear directly from patients about their experiences, they developed their unique digital platform MyRealWorld®. This allows patients to record their experiences of diseases and treatments in every day work, social and home life via their own free smartphone apps.
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Understand patient quality of life, burden and impact of diseases, to help identify patterns and discrepancies of care
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Quantify patients’ experiences of diseases and treatments in real time to inform product development
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Interactive dashboards and data exports mean faster publications
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Data collection complies with ethical, GDPR and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability (HIPAA) requirements and respects local cultural sensitivities
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100% electronic informed consent
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Developed in close collaboration with Patient Advocacy Groups
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Rewards and gamification drive participant interest and response rates
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Bring your own device (BYOD) technology; any device, any language, any country
With an impressive list of recent Awards including Vitaccess being identified as one of the Top 10 UK Tech start-ups at Tech Nation Rising Stars and Mark being named as Regulatory Tech Founder of the Year; we asked Mark what his advice would be to someone looking to start their own business.
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Build a good network of key influencers and trusted partners in your industry, talk to lots of people, get their thoughts on your ideas, continue to test and refine them. Having grown our workforce by 500% in just 18 months; one of the immediate challenges is to maintain our culture and keep people interested.
Get some senior mentors who are passionate about what they do to advise you. We identified a number of experts and entrepreneurs in the digital media, pharmaceutical, international healthcare who had experience of working with start-ups and growth businesses to help the management team on longterm company development. Our board of Directors met for the first time this year. ”
THREE IMPORTANT THINGS ENTREPRENEURS SHOULD REMEMBER ON THEIR ROAD AHEAD: RESPOND TO SOCIETY’S NEEDS EMBRACE INNOVATION DELEGATE WHEN YOU NEED ASSISTANCE
Future proof your family’s financial planning The way in which you structure your savings and investment assets can make a significant difference to the long term outcome. When we talk about ‘structuring’, the impact of tax and ownership is an important consideration both on an on-going basis and in connection with the passing of wealth between generations. Ownership Every individual has their own personal capital and income tax allowances which they should look to use each year where practicable. Individuals also have their own set of income tax allowances starting at a nil rate of income tax through to basic rate and higher. It is important to set the right structure so that you make the most out of the allowances available. On-going taxation Investment returns can be subject to income tax or Capital Gains Tax (CGT). Different allowances and tax rates apply to each. There are also certain tax privileged investment structures which provide returns free of on-going taxes, such as Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs). The availability of tax allowances and certain investment structures will depend upon your circumstances including tax residency. There is no magic answer here and whilst one approach might work effectively for one, a completely different approach might better suit another depending on your objectives. Estate planning A common question is ‘how can I tax efficiently pass my wealth to my children and future generations?’ There are a number of key considerations here. From a tax perspective, inheritance tax is the key consideration and there are certain types of investment structure: notably pension arrangements which can be helpful. Pension funds provide a very effective
way in which to pass money down to future generations as they do not form part of your estate. As such, the funds are not subject to inheritance tax. If structured appropriately they can be retained down the generations. An inherited pension fund continues to grow free from income tax and CGT. More importantly it can be accessed at any age making them helpful in addressing objectives such as helping the grandchildren onto the property ladder or school/university fees. One final aspect which can often be overlooked is that CGT does not arise on death. When considering the appropriateness of different investment structures, careful planning is essential not just at the start of your retirement or life event but throughout and highlights the need for regular meetings with your financial and legal advisers to make sure that you and your family’s financial plan is future proofed. Simon Dixon, Head of Handelsbanken Wealth Management, notes:
“All too often, the basic steps to manage tax effectively are overlooked. An annual ISA of £20k (the 2019/20 tax year allowance) in isolation may not seem that important, but we have clients with ISA portfolios into which they have regularly saved over many years that now amount to many £100ks. These can produce a significant and flexible annual tax-free income alongside pension arrangements as part of their retirement plan.”
Join us for our
Future Planning seminars November BATH - SWINDON - OXFORD - LONDON Register for more information privatewealth@roydswithyking.com
WORKFORCE OF THE FUTURE
Plug & Play office
WHERE – LITERALLY WHERE – YOU WORK MATTERS Peter Richman, Managing Director and founder of award-winning web design agency Plug & Play Design, tells us how their physical workspace has made them an employer of choice. WHAT IS THE CULTURE LIKE AT PLUG & PLAY DESIGN? We want our employees to be creative and take the initiative. We know we’re getting it right when people collaborate, bounce ideas off each other and learn together. Our learning sessions, aka ‘geekfests’, can be initiated at any time by anyone if they’ve discovered something interesting. A catch up at the pub after a geekfest is a much loved tradition too.
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HOW DOES THIS TRANSLATE TO YOUR PHYSICAL PREMISES? It was important to us to create an office space that employees want to work in, somewhere that encourages collaboration and feeds creativity. We’ve spent a lot of time and investment in creating an office space that reflects this. Desks take up only 50% of our space. The rest of the floor plan is dedicated to breakout areas, creative spaces, and a kitchen and eating area. The space is designed to bring staff together on projects away from their desks and hold learning or creative sessions that happen naturally. We’ve deliberately made the breakout areas so nice that people don’t want to eat at their desks. Instead, they spend time together – and yes, it helps that we have a fridge stocked full of Heineken and the best coffee you can get! Everyone at Plug & Play has an electric standing desk. There’s a fair amount of staring at the screen, so we made sure people can work how they want which is great for both posture and concentration. We’ve also installed speciality lighting that mimics natural daylight. It improves mood, fights off seasonal affective disorder and results in better concentration and productivity.
WHAT ARE THE UPSIDES AND DOWNSIDES OF THIS KIND OF WORKING ENVIRONMENT? There are genuinely no downsides. We spent a significant amount of money to get the space right, but it was an amazing investment. We’re in a very competitive market. When the likes of Google are hoovering up talent, we must think creatively about the culture and environment to attract and retain top talent. The work environment is also a significant factor in our low sickness rates. Our physical setup reflects the trust we give staff in managing their time, how they work and where they work. An unexpected bonus is how much clients love our offices! We designed the workspace for our staff, but it’s a real talking point for our clients when they come in for meetings. Matthew Hendra, Employment lawyer at Royds Withy King, comments, “What’s clear from the way Plug & Play Design have set up their offices is how the physical workspace has encouraged a collaborative and creative culture while promoting staff wellbeing and productivity at the same time. We often think of investment in the working environment as the lowest priority. However, the effects can be hugely positive. At Plug & Play, costs of recruitment are down, retention and productivity are up and there is very little absenteeism. All these issues can traditionally be serious headaches for employers and can lead to legal claims or a long drawn out process to try and improve performance or attendance.”
Peter Richman, Founder & Managing Director, Plug & Play
AS PLUG & PLAY HAVE SHOWN, THINKING CREATIVELY ABOUT THE PHYSICAL WORKPLACE ISN’T JUST FOR HUGE COMPANIES LIKE GOOGLE OR AMAZON. INVESTMENT IN THIS AREA CAN HAVE A BIG IMPACT ON PRODUCTIVITY, ENGAGEMENT AND STAFF WELLBEING. 9
TRAVEL FOR GOOD
LOCAL KNOWLEDGE MAKES A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE
business “is soOurreputation
driven, the first thing I do when I wake up in the morning is check our reviews.
”
This was the underlying principle that Huw Owen and Tom Stapleton embraced when they founded Bristolbased TravelLocal in 2012. They wanted to create a new kind of travel company, where customers could design their holidays directly with carefully selected local experts on the ground – and online. These experts have the most upto-date local knowledge and contacts in the destination itself, enabling them to craft unforgettable, unique holiday experiences that really get under the skin of each country. At the same time these great local businesses get a fairer deal from the international tourism industry.
With their collective experience in the travel industry they had spotted a gap in the tailor-made market in terms of bringing travellers and local travel experts together. Up until then, if you wanted to go to India, Tanzania or Peru you would speak to someone in the UK or a travel agent near where you happen to live with little or no experience of your destination. They also realised that tourism didn’t benefit local people as much as it should. From their research, they found that many travellers wanted to go direct but didn’t know how to do so safely and easily. Was there a way for holidays to benefit both the traveller and the destination more than they did? In this perfect storm, TravelLocal was founded.
Huw comments, “We wanted to enable people to create and book their holidays with trusted local experts, who know their countries better than anyone else and are passionate about showing them to you. We also wanted to ensure that tourism benefits the local economy. Too much money was staying in the UK and there are too many European companies masquerading as locally owned. TravelLocal only works with locally owned businesses that benefit the local economy and society.” TravelLocal partnered up with software developers Rocketmakers, who helped them to recruit and design an in-house technology team, to build their technology platform. TravelLocal have invested heavily in technology to ensure that they remain ahead of the curve compared to their competitors, most of whom have legacy technology that is fast becoming obsolete. With suppliers in over 50 countries and customers across 40 countries, it was important that their IT systems were robust and scalable. Every worldwide enquiry is dealt with in real time with a local expert who will put together a suggested itinerary personalised to your needs, hopes and budget. Their technology system allows them to build rich data sets on their customers and buying behaviours to identify the best transfer, most popular and least popular tours and so on. This allows them to work with their suppliers and offer a level of personalisation that no other tailor-made travel business is able to. TravelLocal uses this rich insight to keep improving the customer experience. Huw is passionate about the customer experience, “I want to know that people have had a great trip. The tailor made travel industry is a massive market with endless opportunities and we want to ensure that our customers are our best advocates.”
Benefits to the local economy: • By cutting out the middle man, more money is going directly into the local destination • In developing countries tourism is a major employer, so has a significant impact on the local economy • Supporting local entrepreneurs in each destination by giving them leads direct, rather than through a middleman. TravelLocal only works with locally owned businesses
Benefits to the traveller: • Discover local secrets, explore real places off the tourist trail, eat local food and experience how local people really live • Save up to 40% in comparison to booking with an international tour operator – stay longer at the destination, organise more trips and enjoy more experiences • Know that you are supporting ‘buy local’ and the fair trade movements • TravelLocal are members of ABTA so your booking is 100% secure
“We felt that big and faceless tour companies had had their time and wanted to turn tailor-made travel on its head.”
TECHNOLOGY FOR GOOD
DRONES FOR GOOD
“Their uses offer substantial safety benefits as well as reducing operational down time.�
For many people, the jury is still out as to whether airborne drones are a force for good or a force for evil. But for all the bad press, drones have the capacity to offer up significant benefits for society which go well beyond the well publicised parcel delivery application. The reality is that the technology surrounding drones is developing at an astonishing rate. Drones have an almost limitless capability to add significant value to many functions in society, offering up the opportunity to undertake tasks that are inherently risky for humans to carry out, or to transport items from place to place quickly and efficiently. They also have the capability to be used by our Armed Forces to undertake many functions which substantially contribute to the safety and security of our country as well as our military personnel.
Emergency services Our emergency services are already deriving benefit from rapidly delivering transplant organs, blood or defibrillators to where they are urgently needed; or for surveillance or operational purposes, including rapid response to scenes of crime. This will relieve the use of personnel and reduce risk to the public. Drones have a role to play in assisting with disaster planning and response such as with fire fighting, having been used successfully in the Notre Dame fire with the tactical deployment of fire fighters and equipment. There have been reported incidents of drones being employed to locate missing members of the public. Drones have also successfully dropped lifebelts to people who have been stranded at sea.
Commercial sector Drones can be used to inspect power lines, train tracks, oil and gas pipelines and rigs, buildings and many other structures to assess safety and address issues with functionality.
Retail sector Drones can also play a big role in understanding consumer shopping behaviour. Capturing consumer movement will be helpful for retailers in studying how to better lay out the floor space to attract customers. Drones can also ensure the floor is always stocked, bringing new items out when they see an item is starting to run low on the shelf.
“Whilst agriculture is seen as one of the country’s most historic industries, it is also at the forefront when it comes to embracing innovation. Across the UK there are excellent examples of progressive farmers who have adopted Smart Farming using modern technology, such as drones, automation and agricultural robots, to increase the quantity and quality of agricultural products helping to drive efficiency and better utilise land and assets to provide new and improved income streams. There are examples of drones taking the place of field-walking to assess crop health and identify where action needs to be taken, helping to improve crop yields and farm efficiency. Sensors and digital imaging capabilities provide farmers with an accurate picture of their fields. The expansion of drone technology continues at a pace and drones that spray are being developed to help combat pests and weeds. Whilst we have a long way to go until this becomes commonplace, farmers are looking to create integrated working environments where people and modern technology work in tandem to create an operation that’s as efficient as it’s productive.”
Mark Charter, Head of Rural
Despite the positive benefits, drones are still viewed sceptically by many members of society. The concerns appear to be based on a lack of certainty as to capability and risk. There are also fears that drones will impact on privacy, that they will take the jobs of humans and that malicious forces will use them in an aggressive way against us. There are risks associated with allowing drones to be used in society, but these should all be capable of being addressed by a proper legislative and regulatory framework. The drone industry is working hard to drive progress towards that framework being put in place. It is equally the case that restricting the use of drones will not address malicious use. There is no longer the option to avoid the problems posed by unlawful drone use by simply banning them.
As with any new technology, the public perceptions of risk are hard to overcome, but this should not undermine the case that drones offer up real benefits to society. If properly regulated, drones have the capacity to change our lives significantly for the better.
Philip Banks-Welsh, head of Drone law sector at Royds Withy King: “The challenge for the drone industry and the enablers of drone technology, including Government and the regulators, is to persuade the general public that drones can be a force for good. This is an increasingly difficult challenge as bad press for drones increases and is certainly not helped by incidents at Gatwick and Heathrow which highlight the negative aspects of drone proliferation. Drones are here to stay. In that context we must seize the opportunity to showcase the benefits to society which drones offer. Without public support it will be substantially harder to reap those benefits and society is likely to be the poorer for that.”
OLD DOGS, NEW TRICKS: how we can train our brains to make use of our extra time
“By 2020, for the first time in history, the number of people aged 65 and over will outnumber children aged five and under.” In her debut book, Camilla Cavendish explores the dramatic demographic shift facing the Western world which contests taboos around ageing. The book explores how our systems are “lagging woefully behind the new reality” of the ageing population. Travelling across the world in a carefully researched and deeply human investigation, Camilla looked at breakthroughs which could soon transform the quality and extent of life. In this article Camilla looks at how brain training can help lower the risk of dementia. “Oops!” I’ve hit the wrong bird. Instead of a tingling burst of feathers on the screen, there’s an unforgiving beep. This is a brain training game HawkEye which promises to improve how fast and accurately my brain processes what I see. Trials have found that older people who play enough hours of this type of game have half as many car crashes than their peers and even, apparently, a lower risk of dementia. The computer forces me to divide my attention between birds flying at the centre of the screen and targets at the periphery which look horribly similar. It’s agonisingly hard: but the neuroscientists who designed it say our brains need to struggle to stay sharp. Far from the brain being fixed in adulthood, we actually keep producing new brain cells throughout our lives. Old dogs can learn new tricks: and it turns out that they must, to keep in shape. In a ten-year trial of 2,800 volunteers aged between 65 and 94, those who did this kind of “useful field of view” training got better at remembering to take their medications and to carry more tasks requiring concentration, like preparing meals. They were half as likely to experience a car crash as those who had not trained, and 40% less likely to give up driving. They also had a 29% lower incidence of dementia - though to be clear, brain training can’t cure dementia. I’m playing this game as part of my quest to discover how we will cope in a world of longer lifespans. I’m convinced that it’s not old age that’s getting longer, it’s middle age. To figure out how best to use what I call Extra Time I’ve travelled to six different countries including the US, where I’m a fellow at Harvard’s Kennedy School. I’ve met robots in Japan, leading elderly people in exercise routines. I’ve seen factory workers wearing exoskeletons which will revolutionise our ability to keep doing physical jobs. But no technologies intrigue me more than those which will emerge from neuroscience.
“You’re never too old to learn,” says Dr Lara Boyd, a brain researcher at the University of British Columbia. Dr Boyd works with stroke patients, some of whom have made extraordinary recoveries by trying repeatedly to move a paralysed arm or leg - thus triggering new areas of the brain into sending signals. The challenge is to harness the brain’s plasticity in a positive direction, rather than let it reinforce the paralysis. Using MRI scans, Dr Boyd and her team have found that different people learn using very different brain circuits. As a result, she believes we need personalised learning programmes for all age groups. The next few years will see many brain training apps come to market. Many will be gimmicks, preying on our worries about cognitive decline. But others will unlock the potential to exercise the brain like a muscle.
Experts draw parallels with the fitness movement. “If I want to get stronger abs, I do sit-ups,” says Alvaro Fernandez, head of brain research consultancy SharpBrains. “The same will happen with the brain, but it will happen faster, because the toolkit is mostly online”. Mr Fernandez wants to see annual brain check-ups: cognitive tests allied to AI which can detect patterns. Already, the makers of a system called Typing Cadence claim that it can spot brain changes faster than any doctor, by detecting one hundredth of a second changes in the way we type on a keyboard, which might point to cognitive issues.
“Fast rising lifespans and falling birth rates are, for me, the big story of the 21st century. I believe we can all live longer better, without ruining the economy, but some profound changes will be needed. I’ve been fascinated to discover how different countries are responding to the challenge of ageing populations and to interview so many rebels who are refusing to let age define them.” Camilla Cavendish is an award-winning Times columnist and a radio and TV broadcaster, who is well-known for her campaigning journalism. She was the head of the Downing Street Policy Unit under Prime Minister David Cameron and now sits in the House of Lords. Camilla continues to write high-profile journalism pieces for The Financial Times and The Sunday Times. She is also author of “Extra Time: Ten Lessons for an Ageing World”, published by HarperCollins.
Once we appreciate the enormous potential of our brains, technology can help us make them stronger. Old dogs may be a lot younger than we once thought.
CAMILLA’S
10 LESSONS FOR AN AGEING WORLD
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The Death of Birth demography tips the balance of power as people are living longer and by 2020 there will be more grandparents than grandchildren Younger Than You Thought the stages of life are changing
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Just Do It if exercise and diet was a pill, we’d all be taking it No Desire to Retire don’t give up the day job
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New Neurons -
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In the Genes -
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old brains can learn new tricks – and they must, to keep in shape
immortality isn’t here yet, but anti-ageing drugs are on the way Out of the Ghetto everyone needs a neighbourhood that brings different people together, across faith, generations, places or diversity
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Health Revolution robots care for you, humans care about you Finding Ikigai purpose is vital and according to the Japanese this is your path to contentment Generation Hexed we need a new social contract so that younger workers don’t feel that they are paying for the older generation’s state benefits and services
DOES DOING GOOD MAKE YOU FEEL GOOD? “The man who dies rich dies disgraced.” ANDREW CARNEGIE
Philanthropy: a Greek term meaning ‘love of mankind’. An idea that is accessible to all and in its simplest form requires an individual to freely give up their time, skills or money to someone who will benefit from their actions, in turn making themselves feel happier and rewarded. Our parents might have taught us that doing good for others would make us feel good, but science has also proved that the route to happiness is to give money away. Having studied the link between charitable giving and happiness, scholars from the University of British Columbia and Harvard Business School have found evidence that giving income to others makes you feel good. Looking back 30 years, it seemed that your measure of happiness was reflected in the possessions you owned. Today’s mindset seems to have shifted, with more of the wealthiest individuals in the world giving away large chunks of their fortune. Mackenzie Bezos, following her divorce from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, signed up to the Giving Pledge -which encourages the world’s richest people to donate the majority of their wealth to charitable causes over their lifetime.
Charitable donations are on the rise While the majority of us are unlikely to be able to donate huge sums like Bezos, the value of donations has seen a steady increase over the past decade. From April 2017 – April 2018, individuals donated £3.18bn to charity compared to £1.6bn in 2008-2009. Corporations, the government and individuals, particularly high earners, are recognising that it’s in everyone’s interest to behave more responsibly. There is a huge desire to contribute to society and a longing amongst individuals and businesses to do good. For years there has been disparity between the British and American view of philanthropy. Giving back to your community is ingrained in American society. Recent UK initiatives such as Beacon Collaborative are aiming to shift the British reticence to talk about money and further increase philanthropic giving. According to wealth management firm Scorpio Partnership just 5% of the ultrawealthy give away more than a quarter of their wealth each year in the UK. There is a growing trend for entrepreneurs to set up their own charities to choose how their donations are channelled. However as compliance becomes more stringent, many instead choose to donate to existing charities in their local communities. This champions causes close to their hearts - thus getting the satisfaction without having to deal with the technicalities. The cynics amongst us will no doubt recognise that giving on a large scale has positive tax consequences. The easiest route to reducing inheritance tax is to give money away while you’re alive. Leaving money to charities in your Will can further reduce how much inheritance tax is levied on the rest of your estate. However, as well as individuals being able to claim back tax relief, the charities themselves benefit from Gift Aid. In 2018-19, the Government handed charities £1.4bn in Gift Aid relief - £90m more than the previous year. Despite the tax implications for many of the world’s wealthiest philanthropists, sharing their wealth for the benefit of others can only be a good thing.
Changing the world Purpose beyond profits is being demanded by employees, investors, customers and the millennials and Gen Z who represent the next generation of leaders, so it’s not a surprise that business leaders are taking note.
Fortune magazine’s fifth annual Change the World List celebrates those companies and leaders that embrace corporate purpose and recognise how it can add value to business and society. Fortune evaluates the companies by four factors: measurable social impact, business results, degree of innovation and corporate integration. The list is made in partnership with the Shared Value Initiative, which was created in 2012 to drive the adoption and implementation of shared value strategies by organisations around the world. www.sharedvalue.org
THE ULTRA RICH WHO GIVE BILL AND MELINDA GATES Net worth: $107.7bn Along with donating to their own charity the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Bill has donated $41 billion and committed to donating more than 99% of his wealth.
WARREN BUFFETT Net worth: $87bn Over the decade, Warren has given away $27bn and also pledged to give away 99% of his wealth.
MARK ZUCKERBERG AND PRISCILLA CHAN Net worth: $67.3bn The Facebook founder and his wife have given away in excess of $2bn in the last two years, with a large interest in healthcare.
MICHAEL BLOOMBERG Net worth: $62.1bn The media mogul and former New York mayor has donated $8.2bn of his fortune. He has a particular interest in healthcare and education, donating $1.8bn to John Hopkins University and $50m to family planning services in Africa and Latin America. PIERRE OMIDYAR Net worth $12.4bn The founder of eBay has donated nearly $1bn since 2004, including $2m to Wikipedia. He founded the Democracy Fund, which has invested in fact-checking programmes to address the ‘fake news’ crisis. GORDON MOORE Net worth $10bn Mr Moore, co-founder of Intel, has given away over $5.3bn through his Foundation that supports scientific endeavours. He helped fund the Event Horizon Telescope which recently captured the image of the first black hole.
JULIAN ROBERTSON Net worth: $4.3bn Founder of one of the first hedge funds, Tiger Management Corp, Mr Robertson has given away $700m.
A NEW WAVE OF P H I L A NT HR O PY RECENT MEDIA SURROUNDING MACKENZIE BEZOS SIGNING UP TO THE GIVING PLEDGE WHICH ENCOURAGES THE WORLD’S RICHEST PEOPLE TO DEDICATE THE MAJORITY OF THEIR WEALTH TO CHARITABLE CAUSES EITHER DURING THEIR LIFETIMES OR IN THEIR WILL HAVE PROVOKED MUCH DISCUSSION ABOUT THE IMPACT OF DIVORCE ON THE PHILANTHROPIC SECTOR.
Mackenzie, who was married to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, received an estimated $38 billion in her divorce settlement, the largest divorce settlement in history. Mackenzie subsequently claimed she had a disproportionate amount of money to share. While most of us are unlikely to ever be in the financial position Mackenzie found herself in, we act for a number of clients who on a divorce settlement receive large sums of money from their spouse. This money is to ensure that the needs of the financially weaker party and the children of the marriage are adequately met.
“THE THREE PRINCIPLES OF FAIRNESS APPLY: NEEDS, COMPENSATION AND SHARING.”
The first question the Court will ask is whether the payee has resources; clearly this was a very simple answer in the Bezos case. The Court will then consider the welfare of any children and their capital needs. In big-money cases sharing is likely to be the predominant of the three principles of fairness. Spouses and civil partners commit to share their lives, they work as a partnership and when that partnership ends, unless there is good reason, they should each be entitled to half of the assets of the partnership. In bigmoney cases particular regard may be had to the contributions of the parties. The focus will be on financial contributions made by, usually, one of the parties in particular, known as special contributions. Arguments as to a ‘special contribution’ have rarely succeeded, and such an argument will only succeed in a case where the assets are extremely substantial (usually over £10m plus). However the mere existence of very substantial assets is not a guarantee that such an argument will succeed.
IN 2014 SIR CHRISTOPHER HOHN, KNIGHTED FOR SERVICES TO PHILANTHROPY AND DEVELOPMENT, WAS ORDERED TO PAY HIS EX WIFE £337 MILLION IN THEIR DIVORCE SETTLEMENT FROM ASSETS OF £700 MILLION.
The case of Hohn and Cooper, one of Britain’s most expensive divorces, involved a remarkable contribution by the husband to the marital wealth. The Judge accepted the husband’s argument that his special contribution should impact on the financial outcome. In 2014 Sir Christopher Hohn, knighted for services to philanthropy and development, was ordered to pay his ex wife £337 million in their divorce settlement from assets of £700 million. Sir Christopher is one of very few individuals who have been successful in claiming special contribution. The honourable Mrs Justice Roberts also considered in her judgement whether the award Ms Cooper received would allow her to continue with her philanthropic causes if she wished to do so. More recently Sir Christopher has agreed to pay Ms Cooper’s own charity an additional £282 million. During their 17 year long marriage the parties established the charity, Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF). This was managed by Ms Cooper with Sir Christopher leading the associated hedge fund. Following the divorce, Ms Cooper founded her own charity, Big Win Philanthropy. She agreed that she would resign as a trustee of CIFF and asked for her husband to make a grant from CIFF to her new charity, promising to contribute £32 million of her own fund to the charity if he did so. Sir Geoffrey Vos, Chancellor of the High Court approved the payment of £282 million from CIFF to Ms Cooper’s charity.
Simon Bassett, Partner in Royds Withy King Family law team
“This is one of the largest charitable transfers made as a result of a divorce. There is now greater pressure on the mega rich to contribute to society and it may be that UK Courts will see more divorce cases involving charitable fund donations in the future.”
CARE FOR GOOD: TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION IS THE WAY FORWARD Every week, the headlines remind us that the social care sector is facing significant challenges. Recruitment, retention and increasing regulatory pressures are affecting care operators and their ability to forge ahead and plan for the future. There has also been a two-year delay on fresh Government policy in the form of a long-awaited Green Paper which is meant to set out the route to a more secure and sustainable system. So, the Care Innovation Challenge which recently concluded in London with a final at the Department of Health and Social Care, has been a real cause for celebration in the sector. The Challenge, hosted by the Care Innovation Hub, was set up to inspire innovative new ways to tackle the critical challenges faced by the sector and ensure the best possible outcomes for those in receipt of care services. Inventors have embraced the opportunity, and have used it to turn their creative energies to solving some of the sector’s thorny problems and revolutionise care.
As its founding legal partner, Royds Withy King is supporting the pioneering organisation which was set up by a group of friends and like-minded professionals. The first stage of the Challenge was a weekend hackathon. Entrepreneurs came together to understand the biggest problems affecting the sector and work with market experts to explore practical solutions together. The weekend kicked off with Navin Mayani, CEO of Care Innovation Hub, setting the tone. Christine Asbury and Ed Russell, of WCS Care, spoke candidly about the sector. They offered entrepreneurs a new perspective that breaks away from the poor stigmas associated with care. Christine and Ed emphasised how innovation can reduce loneliness and isolation amongst the ageing population, help solve recruitment and retention problems and improve overall well-being to individuals, despite the lack of funding available to the sector.
Entrepreneurs enjoyed getting to know the Founding Partners, supporters and mentors through a ‘speed-dating’ session. It was the perfect opportunity to learn more about each other and match entrepreneurs to their mentors. The recent final was attended by senior executives who spent the morning watching the eight finalists deliver their pitches. All workshops were facilitated by CIH’s cofounders and Founding Partners. James Sage and Mei-Ling Huang, partners at Royds Withy King, provided legal and regulatory support to all budding entrepreneurs at the Challenge. James said: “The Challenge was expertly run by the Care Innovation Hub and proved to be a great success, enabling the entrepreneurs to develop and showcase their ideas to tackle the biggest issues facing the care sector and gain invaluable feedback and insight from sector leaders. It was also a huge amount of fun!”
“EACH IDEA NEEDED TO ACT AS AN ENABLER FOR HAPPINESS IN CARE. DOES IT INCREASE THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF VULNERABLE CITIZENS WHO RECEIVE CARE SERVICES IN THE UK?”
PITCHED PITCHED IDEAS IDEAS Crunch microgreens kit delivered to your door IntelliCare person-centred care using predictive analytics mentorSHIP mentoring care home staff to encourage retention Pamoja Care matching elderly dependents to care givers
Team Everest customer satisfaction surveys in care Team Hoot reducing social isolation for the elderly Team Life providing child care for carers Team Orchard automated, errorproof medication dispensing
Mei added: “I’ve been impressed and inspired not only with the enthusiasm that the entrepreneurs have brought to this project but also with the speed which their ideas have been created and then honed into practical solutions. I am looking forward to seeing these ideas rolled out in the sector. They will definitely add value and improve the provision of care.
Navin Mayani, CEO of Care Innovation
At the hackathon it was great to see the passion of the entrepreneurs, mentors and CIH Board to find innovative solutions to the challenges faced by the care sector. The final showcased a wide range of innovations that can provide real value for care providers, staff and service users. It was a very positive experience and felt like a watershed moment for the sector, as it starts to fully embrace innovation and technology.”
THE WINNERS! The winning pitch from team Orchard Care addressed issues surrounding medication management. The idea involves an automated medication system which would avoid errors, automatically log when a person has or has not received their medication and store medicines safely. The judges chose this team as their idea had the potential to make the biggest impact in social care, and they received £1,000 to continue to develop their ideas.
The CIH and their founding partners will work closely with the winners and the runners-up to solidify their ideas into viable solutions for the care sector. Last year’s winner was The Wiggly Line Company with Streamcare. The product is an innovative night-time monitoring system tailored for care homes to promote safer, better sleep for residents while supporting staff with real-time data through a mobile dashboard. Since winning last year’s Challenge, the company has been piloting their idea with care providers in the UK.
50% of consumers claim to be living more sustainable lifestyles
Richard Lim CEO, Retail Economics
Nudging our way towards more sustainable retail consumption
Sustainability appears to be the hot topic of the moment. Its far-fetching tentacles deeply permeate society on all levels; and now has a firm squeeze on the retail industry. The question is: are consumers really that concerned? Great! Obviously, retailers and brands will frenziedly grasp this glaring opportunity, shift towards more sustainable practices and ethical sourcing, thereby securing a ‘greentinted’ competitive advantage over their ‘grey-polluting’ competitors. And in a world of no market failure, we’ll all sail towards a brighter and greener future. Well, not quite.
Pragmatists, realists (and good retail economists) know that life, especially consumer behaviour, is not so simple. After all, sustainability issues have reverberated around political corridors and streets for decades. My Gen X cohort grew up terrified of the ever-expanding hole in the ozone layer, not to mention acid rain with a pH levels stronger than vinegar! There’s no doubt that the ‘Blue Planet effect’ will etch itself into the minds of today’s Gen Zs. Having covertly glanced at a young chap (must be a Gen Z) prising open an organic beetroot salad packaged in plastic, I’m wondering whether consumers really care about the planet as they solemnly proclaim? And if they do, why don’t their good
Our research found that almost two-thirds of consumers would choose a brand with a proven sustainability record over others
intentions align with their (not so good) behaviour? Especially when it comes to what they consume. I can already feel my inner behavioural economist’s Pandora’s Box spring open. As consumers, we all make countless decisions all day, every day. Admittedly, not all of mine are environmentally friendly. I don’t drive an electric car, I love my long-haul holidays, and yes, I eat meat… almost every day. With such a crucial goal like saving the planet, why do so many of us still overlook fundamental right actions? In reality, consumers’ environmental (or ethical) concerns do not always manifest in correct purchasing behaviour. The irritating chasm between attitudes and corresponding action still remains a key area of retail research. The phenomenon is
labelled the ‘intention-behaviour gap’. It helps explain why we intend to do more exercise, conserve more energy, or buy sustainable products – but don’t (well, not always). This is where we as consumers need help. And retailers can play a crucial role – if not drive change. Behavioural economics helps develop our understanding of how to nudge our way towards more sustainable consumption. Numerous studies demonstrate why consumers don’t act in a wholly rational manner: we smoke; we drink too much; we sometimes develop painful addictions. There are underlying principles retailers can adopt (and already are) which not only help save the planet, but also provide key points of differentiation so desperately needed in today’s fiercely competitive market.
92% of consumers trust an influencer more than an advertisement or traditional celebrity endorsement Choice architecture: when facing decisions, consumers often seek the simplest solution requiring the least effort. Hence, the default option frequently proves to be the most popular. While consumers have choice, they don’t always want to exert effort to bring about change. In a recent academic study in ‘Business Ethics: The impact of Choice Architecture on Sustainable Behaviour’, it was found that default ‘opt-out’ policies are more effective than ‘opt-in’ alternatives. This is because it increases anticipated guilt. In other words, when
Waitrose Unpacked Waitrose & Partners is leading the way at looking at more sustainable consumption. Their aim is to eliminate unnecessary plastic and make all their own-brand packaging reusable or out of widely recyclable or home-compostable material by 2023. Following on from the success of their Unpacked test in Oxford, the business is rolling out this alternative way of shopping to further stores in Oxfordshire and Cheltenham. Unpacked is designed to test how customers might shop in the future with features including a dedicated refillable zone and frozen pick and mix - all with the aim of using less packaging. Unpacked encourages customers to bring their own clean, lidded reusable containers for filling up with products during their shop. The containers can be any material, size, shape or weight, but if you don’t have anything to hand at home, you can buy bags/containers in store. Tor Harris, Head of CSR, Waitrose & Partners commented, “We know our customers want us to reduce packaging and we’re making good progress in doing so. We want to work with them to understand where it is unnecessary and where we need to keep it, so we can identify the right solutions for the future.”
‘greener’ services and options were automatically selected, this has a much stronger impact than giving consumers the choice of opting in for the greener choice. The study also found that the effect of greener action was stronger if consumers felt there was reciprocal cooperation from the firm – e.g. they demonstrated sustainable credentials.
Role models, peers and social norms: people’s consumption habits are often influenced by role models, social norms and the habits of their peers. Academic research has shown that sustainable attitudes mediate the relationship between the level of pragmatism of a respondent's nation and sustainable behaviours. Promoting sustainable and environmentally-friendly behaviours is related to making certain sustainability social norms salient in the minds of consumers. Social media is ‘crushing it’ when it comes to ‘awareness’ – that first vital step in the customer journey. Here, retailers have a lush opportunity to engage with green influencers when pushing their sustainable and ethical credentials. And to be honest, it’s still relatively unexploited. Data from MuseFind shows that 92% of consumers trust an influencer more than an advertisement or traditional celebrity endorsement – trust and a company’s values being inextricably linked. The role of sustainability influencers could dovetail with retail brands to promote core sustainable consumption and ethical values – offering unique branding opportunities if authentically executed. With the ‘Blue Planet effect’ gaining traction and generating waves of consumer awareness on sustainability issues, I’d say that the opportunity for retailers to gain a competitive advantage, to put forward a point of differentiation and actually do ‘the right thing’ (while delivering on commercial goals) has truly emerged.
When life throws you a curveball In September, a sold-out conference brought together family members of brain injury survivors with recognised experts in the field to share their deeply emotional stories, learning and wisdom on understanding family needs after this most catastrophic of injuries.
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It’s about rebuilding lives and not just surviving
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Need for enhanced support and skills, both practical and emotional
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Painful reality and struggle with guilt – as survivors want their old lives back
With the latest clinical and research evidence base and the personal accounts of family members, this conference provided a unique perspective on the needs of families and how professionals and families can work more effectively together towards improved outcomes. What was clear from the conference is that support for brain injury could be relevant to other areas of catastrophic injury. We thought we would share some of the inspirational moments of the day.
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Changing dynamic between couples can lead to a vicious circle of disconnection
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Resilience is not about ‘bouncing back’ after brain injury but ‘bouncing forward’
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Common theme was that care homes are set up for the needs of elderly or dementia sufferers and not brain injury survivors
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Challenging ability to manage drastic changes in relationships
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Ripple effect on children, siblings and closest friends who are often neglected in the process and the lack of counselling. It’s not an optional extra.
Dr Audrey spoke about the Audrey Daisley spoke about Daisley the emotional stress of emotional acquired stress of acquiredremember brain injury, as families life together ain injury, as families the life remember together the they they previously had. This resulted in families often being eviously had. This treated resulted in families often being treated as as ‘carers’ and not as individuals. They should “take arers’ and not as individuals. They should “take strength from strength from what they can do and not what they can’t do”. hat they can do and not what they can’t do”.
Audrey asked for more support for families to help them build resilience and strategies for the tough times they would more support for families to help them inevitably face.
udrey asked for uild resilience and strategies for the tough times they would evitably face. They should take strength
fromtake whatstrength they can do and They should not what they can’t do”. from what they can do and not what they can’t do”. Dr Mark Holloway discussed the difference between caring and managing for a brain injury survivor. He made reference to the potential guilt of the survivor when they realised the impact their injury had on their family.
Mark Holloway discussed the difference between caring d managing for a brain injury survivor. He made reference the potential guilt of the survivor when they realised the mpact their injury had on their family.
We are creating cost by not doing this”.
Dr Holloway passionately argued that more support for families would have a major benefit on costs to the NHS and social care, “We are creating cost by not doing this”.
We are creating cost by Dr Giles Yeates gave a fascinating insight on neuropsychology asked whetherthis”. love can be rehabilitated after an acquired notand doing brain injury. Traditionally, rehabilitation tends to focus on
The fascinating picture above shows the first image of ‘love’, as a mother and baby share a moment picture whilst undergoing a brain scan. The tender fascinating above shows the first The hotspots represent parts of the brain which, image of ‘love’, as a mother and baby share a according to research, are only activated when tender moment whilst undergoing a brain scan. someone feels love.
The hotspots represent parts of the brain which, It demonstrates visually justare howonly important love is towhen according to research, activated relationships. someone feels love. Giles’s approach to rehabilitation stresses the
importance of visually offering just psychological support to It demonstrates how important love is families. This support serves as the foundation to relationships. which makes it possible to address skill building and education in dealing with aquired brain injury.
the independence the survivor – but whatfor about the Holloway passionately argued ofthat more support of the family? milies would haveinterdependence a major benefit on costs to the NHS and cial care, “We are creating cost by not doing this”.
Giles Yeates gave a fascinating insight on neuropsychology d asked whether love can be rehabilitated after an acquired Maggie Sargent, from the Silverlining charity, uplifted the ain injury. Traditionally, tends oftorebuilding focus on audience rehabilitation with positive examples relationships e independence through of the meaningful survivor and – but what about theby bringing fun activities. Normalising together as equals. terdependence of people the family?
Each partner is important and deserves mutual respect”.
aggie Sargent, from the Silverlining charity, uplifted the To close the conference, Tracy Norris-Evans, from Royds Withy dience with positive of rebuilding relationships King, examples spoke of the trustee and deputyship services available to some of the responsibility andby stress from the family rough meaningful absorb and fun activities. Normalising bringing and introduced the concept of ‘team around the client’. eople together as equals.
Each partner is important and deserves mutual respect”. Can love be
rehabilitated?
o close the conference, Tracy Norris-Evans, from Royds Withy This was the question posed ng, spoke of the trustee and deputyship services available to by the speaker Giles Yeates, sorb some of the responsibility and stress from family in d introduced the concept of “team around thewhose client”. experience counselling brain injured individuals and their families brought some valuable insights.
Keynote speaker Jeffery Kreutzer, Professor from Virginia Commonwealth Community USA, discussed the pressures of living with a brain injury survivor and the struggle to sustain marital quality and stability in an emotional battle against divorce. He proposed an educational toolkit, as well-informed people do better. He suggested a focus on education, Keynotetospeaker Jeffery from skills on what expect and Kreutzer, provideProfessor enhanced Commonwealth Community USA, discussed for Virginia communication, problem solving and stress the pressures of living with a brain injury survivor and management. He ended with wise words that “each the struggle to sustain marital quality and stability in partner is important and deserves an emotional battle against divorce. mutual respect”. Well-informed people do better. Professor Kreutzer suggests a focus on education, on what to expect and provision of enhanced skills for communication, problem solving and stress management. He ended with wise words that “each partner is important and deserves mutual respect”.
Education
Family stories
FAMILY STORIES John Keen – a father’s perspective: in an emotional opening address he told how he discovered post-it notes from his injured daughter asking to “wake me up from this dream”. John had to battle not only with her injury but against insurance company and carers who treat patients but not the person. For John his lightbulb moment was that care homes are designed for the needs of elderly to be safe and secure, and not for people who still wanted to live an active life. For his daughter it has meant going out and the role of a case manager was essential to achieving this. Nicola Hughes – a wife’s perspective: in a heartfelt speech described “living must be more than just surviving”. Her husband, a CEO of a global company, was found unconscious on his office floor, and then struggled with even the simplest of tasks. Nicola described the “worst part is living with a stranger who resembles the man I once married”. “He survived but I didn’t feel it” she told the audience. In the early days it’s all about survival and there was no pathway or strategy after discharge from hospital – this was just the start and not the end. For Nicola her lightbulb moment was realising that she had to value herself and grew back her self worth. John Keen – a father’s perspective: in an emotional opening address he told how he discovered post-it notes from his injured daughter asking to “wake me up from this dream”. John had to battle not only with the Australian insurance companies, but the medical profession who treat the condition not the patient. For John, his lightbulb moment was that care homes are designed for the needs of elderly and to be safe and secure, not for people who still wanted to live an active life. His daughter is now living in her own home with a support package and this has optimised her quality of life. Nicola Hughes – a wife’s perspective: in a heartfelt speech she described that “living must be more than just surviving”. Her husband, a CEO of a global company, was found unconscious on his office floor, and then struggled with even the simplest of tasks. Nicola said that the “worst part is living with a stranger who resembles the man I once married”. She told the audience, “He survived but I didn’t feel it.”
Check out @AT_Conference and #aheadtogether for fantastic comments on the conference
In the early days it was all about survival and there was no pathway or strategy after discharge from hospital – this was just the start and not the end. For Nicola, her lightbulb moment was realising that she had to value herself and grow back her self-worth.
The conference delegates went The whenquiet quiet asas they they listened intently Cerys Hughes – listened intently to from Cerys Hughes Nicola’s nine year year old – their nine old daughter. daughter. She She described how described how she she didn’t didn’t understand understand what happened happened to what to her her dad dad and and became angry, angry, thinking became thinking itit was was her her fault. However She showed courage fault. sheincredible showed incredible speaking speaking on stage:on “I may be small courage stage…“I maybut be my feelings big”. are There a small but myare feelings big”was andnot there dry eye the eye house. was not in a dry in the house. Rob Kuschell Kuschel talked Rob talked about about the the impact impact on sibling sibling relationship, relationships, which are on which is often often neglected due can to siblings being neglected and they be excluded excluded from conversations. told from conversations. Rob toldRob how he how hea vital played vital role protecting played rolea protecting his parents his parents and issues, dealing issues. and dealing with hiswith brother was His brother was so self-employed so Rob self-employed had to access his had to access iPhone to tell his his brother’s brother’s iPhone clients.toIn informlightbulb his brother’s clients. Rob’s Rob’s moment, he In reflected lightbulb moment, reflected on on that there is little he support structure thatanthere little support forfriends. an adult for adultissibling and close sibling and close friends. Nicky Wake talk was titled “When life Nicky Wake’s titled throws you a presentation curved ball”.was A deeply “When life talk throws you a curveball”. emotional described her “living In this deeply emotional talk,would she grief” when she realised that she described not be ableher to “living take hergrief” ‘soul when mate’ she realised thatagain she after wouldhisnot be husband home injury. able focus to takewas her ‘soul husband Her then mate’ channelled on home his injury. Herpositive focus her sonagain and after creating new and was then channelled her son and memories with him.onHer lightbulb creating was newcreating and positive memories moment a Facebook page with him. so she could update their friends and Her lightbulb moment was creating a gain their emotional support, especially Facebook page so she could update late at night. their friends and gain their emotional support, especially late at night.
Special Effect put fun and inclusion back into the lives of people with physical disabilities by helping them to play video games. By using technology ranging from modified joypads to eye control, they’re finding a way for people to play to the very best of their abilities, bringing families and friends together and having a profoundly positive impact on confidence and rehabilitation.
“It doesn’t bear thinking about how he would have coped without it.” Rob’s father We supported Rob through our StarGaze project. Although we’re known mainly for our work helping people with disabilities to play video games, StarGaze has become a cornerstone of our work with eye-controlled technology. We continue to receive a growing number of referrals from care staff and consultants in hospitals and hospices, leading to increasingly complex cases. But we do whatever it takes to help people for as long as they need us. There’s no charge for any of this life-changing support and we don’t receive any statutory funding, so we’re continually fundraising to keep this vital service going.
Special Effect tell us about what they do: you wake up after an accident. You can’t move anything except your eyes and you can’t speak. That’s what happened to Rob, a talented young sportsman who was about to start his studies at York University in 2013 when spinal injury left him unable to move from the neck down. To be cut off from the world in a split second with no means of communication or independence was devastating, so we visited him in intensive care to see if we could help.
Find out more about at www.specialeffect.org.uk/stargaze
“None of this would have been possible without first meeting Special Effect,” he said. “Their work really is that important.”
Our team was able to set him up with an eye-controlled computer. The pointer on the screen tracked the movement of Rob’s eyes, and when he blinked it was like a mouse click. Rob immediately set to work mastering the technology so that he could communicate with friends again though email and social media, to play games and check the sports scores. Rob used the technology to look for university courses and applied to Bristol University to study Law. He was accepted in 2014 and in preparation for his studies we introduced him to a combination of speech recognition and a head-controlled mouse. In 2017 he graduated with First-class Honours and is now working for a commercial law firm in Bristol.
“It was incredible,” said Rob. “Through technology I could have some independence.” “Rob had three months in intensive care,” said his father. “To give him mental stimulation during that time was huge in coping with his condition. It was a big thing for him not to rely on everyone for absolutely everything.” Is your charity doing something innovative, enterprising or on the leading edge of the sector? Then how would you like to be in with a chance to tell our readers about it, using the back cover of this magazine? Contact aoc@roydswithyking.com for more details.
