A thank you from MacIntyre’s Health Team
Rosie Joustra, having been an ever-present colleague and friend within the MacIntyre Health Team since 2016, has retired.
Rosie’s work in the MacIntyre Health Team
Rosie, who draws on support from MacIntyre, was initially employed as an Assistant to MacIntyre’s Dementia Project Team alongside Rachel Silver. This was a perfect role for Rosie, who had spent many years previously being an advocate for health and wellbeing.
Rosie quickly established herself as a force to be reckoned with, providing guidance and challenge that improved every aspect of the work Rosie was involved with. Rosie embraced public speaking, both at our Dementia Special Interest Groups and internal MacIntyre conferences and events, as well as at many different external venues across the UK as she joined Health Team colleagues in co-presenting our dementia work.
As the world became a more digitally connected place in the aftermath of Covid, Rosie embraced sharing her story in front of the camera, most notably in the film she made for NHS England in conjunction with Dementia UK
and also in her appearances on The Caring View Show and a Dementia Community webinar to name just three examples from 2023.
Rosie’s impact on health and social care
Numerous professionals in health and social care, academics and people with lived experience have been touched by Rosie’s wisdom and no-nonsense approach. Her most famous quote: “It’s not what you can’t do, it’s what you can do” resonates with so many people for its positivity and embodiment of the view that a person with dementia can still do the things they want to do and should be supported to do them. Rosie has always been a person to see possibilities and be confident in trying to reach her goals, setting us all a great example and showing what can be achieved.
Just over a year ago we celebrated Rosie’s work during Dementia Action Week 2024, sharing that Rosie was herself now living with dementia. The health challenges this has brought as Rosie’s dementia has progressed have led to Rosie’s retirement, but her contribution will continue through the sharing of the wonderful films, quotes and thoughts that Rosie has provided for us in the spirit of helping everyone understand dementia better and support those with dementia to lead their best life.
Nicola Payne, Best Practice Manager for Health and Families, says of her time working with Rosie:
“I’ve had the honour of working alongside Rosie for many years, traveling into London and other places to be part of conferences and delivering workshops on learning disabilities and dementia, always ensuring Rosie’s voice is the one that is loudest, sharing important information that Rosie is so passionate about. It will take time to get used to Rosie not being at my side, but I have so many wonderful memories to hold on to and still share what I know is close to Rosie’s heart in relation to dementia . Thank you Rosie for your hard work.”
Rosie’s voice in our continuing work
In a recent presentation at The Alzheimer’s and Dementia Show, Nicola Payne and Beth Britton included Rosie’s voice by playing a film Meg Wilding made about Rosie in 2024.
Nicky and Beth also shared slides enabling the audience to get to know Rosie (find out more about Rosie as a classical pianist here) and the things that help Rosie to live well. This is one example of how Rosie’s voice will continue to be ever-present in our work.
