Dr. Jo Crossland

As Head of Dementia and Lifestyle for Care UK, Dr. Jo Crossland works collaboratively with colleagues to develop the dementia and lifestyle strategies that ensure the highest standards of care delivery to over 16,000 residents. Jo is a visible role model to nursing and care colleagues, supporting a consistent and sustainable approach that embeds evidence-based practice.

Jo's journey started with a week-long work experience placement in a local care home in 1984 when she was 15. Jo had always wanted to be a nurse, and after two years working in the home, she moved on to nursing studies. During her training, her grandad developed dementia, which while tough, sparked her interest in dementia care. She then spent ten years nursing in care homes, deepening her passion. Wanting to make a bigger difference, she completed an additional mental health nurse training, followed by a BSc and a Master’s in Dementia Studies at the University of Bradford whilst working in an NHS Metal Health Trust. That led to five and a half years working at Bradford University as a Practice Development Consultant and Trainer where she trained care workers across the UK and internationally. Since, then she has taken on various roles at different care companies. Jo has recently been awarded a Doctor of Philosophy with Leeds Beckett University after successfully defending her thesis following a part-time PhD study.

In 2019, Jo recognised that the often-complex emotional needs of family caregivers were still fundamentally overlooked by care homes. Jo knew from experience that many teams working in care homes did not appreciate the journey that family go on before arriving at the door of a care home, and that they may not appear to understand the momentous transition that ‘handing over’ a loved one with dementia to a care home involved. Therefore, there needed to be suitable practical and emotional support to families during the transition of a relative with dementia from care at home to a care home. This position formed the basis of her largely self-funded part-time PhD study.

Jo's research study highlights that families frequently approach care homes looking for a placement for a relative with dementia at a time of heightened stress and pressure. Her study further identifies the excellent position that care homes are in to offer flexible and timely information and support to families when a relative with dementia moves into a care home.