The Two Leaders
Introducing the two leaders of Dementia Care International, Jane Verity and Hilary Lee
Jane Verity, Founder and CEO
Jane Verity is a thought leader and innovator who has developed the life-changing and rehabilitative Spark of Life Philosophy that has strong roots in the Scandinavian health care system.
In Denmark and Australia, Jane’s professional career has spanned leadership roles in geriatric psychiatry and aged care, with the specialised focus on developing and providing rehabilitation for people who have dementia.
In 1993 Jane took the initiative to found Dementia Care International with the purpose to humanise dementia care and facilitate rehabilitation in dementia.
Since 2010, Jane’s focus has been on the final development and field testing of the Spark of Life Model of Care with its integrated Quality Management System for implementation. These have been developed in close collaboration with Hilary Lee.
Jane gives advanced mentoring to global leaders in aged and dementia care on this new and pioneering perspective of dementia and what is possible. In the capacity as innovator, she has been an advisor to the Singapore Government on dementia, and the invited representative for Australasia at the 100 Experts Forum in Sweden.
Jane has educated thousands of health care professionals, staff and families in the Spark of Life Philosophy around the world. She has authored two internationally published books, the Art of Good Dementia Care and How to Ignite the Spark of Life in People with Dementia.
Hilary Lee, President
Hilary Lee is President of Dementia Care International, serving this organisation since 2007. She is a pioneer in dementia rehabilitation and her professional career has spanned working in the UK as well as in Australia. Her focus is creating global change in the delivery of aged and dementia care.
She has led initiatives to ease the transition to residential care, the identification and prevention of depression in dementia and a multidisciplinary approach to palliative care.
Together with professors from the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada, Hilary has developed the ground breaking Creative Expressive Abilities Assessment. This tool is used to evaluate rehabilitation in dementia care.
From 2000-2007 Hilary researched the Spark of Life Rehabilitation Program (formerly known as the Club program), first in practice and then as peer reviewed research for a Master’s Degree in Science. She has presented her findings at global conferences to the international aged care and scientific community.
After completing the research, Hilary joined Dementia Care International to co-develop with Jane Verity the Spark of Life Model of Care and Quality Management System, incorporating the detailed therapeutic and scientific research insights.
Hilary currently provides ongoing support, education and mentoring to the international leader’s network of Spark of Life Master Practitioners on 5 continents.
In 2011 Hilary was primary editor for the book Creative Approaches in Dementia Care published by Palgrave MacMillan. Click here for more information about Creative Approaches in Dementia Care >>