Local care home manager Susannah Barker-Milan has been voted Chairman of North Kesteven District Council. Susannah will hold office for a year alongside her role as Home Manager for Swanholme Court Care Home and Eccleshare Court Care & Nursing Home in Lincoln. She is planning to utilise her new role to raise awareness of mental health, dementia care and domestic violence during her term in office.
Susannah has previously been Mayor of North Hykeham, during which time she set up a monthly Dementia Hub at ONE NK. Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, the Hub was well used and enjoyed by residents at both care homes that Susannah manages as well as people living with dementia in the local community. Although her new role will be challenging during the current pandemic Susannah is hoping to build on her work in North Kesteven at a district level.
“I am delighted and honoured to be appointed Chairman of North Kesteven District Council,” said Susannah. “As the Registered Manager of two local care homes, I’ve had first-hand experience of the confusion and frustrations of social distancing and the impact of not being able to see loved ones, especially for older people. I hope that I can raise the profile of less-visible services such as dementia care across North Kesteven”.
Susannah has over 25 years of experience working in health and social care, spending the last 10 years specializing in dementia care. She has spent some of her career working with the renowned Bradford Dementia Group at the University of Bradford, leading on the ground-breaking Dementia Care Mapping in Supported Living project. She has also lectured at Lincoln University on specialist dementia care. During her year in office, Susannah will be supported by two consorts: her firefighter husband Wayne Barker and friend Edwin Smith.
For more information about Swanholme Court Care Home call 01522 689400 or Eccleshare Court Care & Nursing Home please call 01522 695458 or email careenquiries@countrycourtcare.com.
