Feb 02 2025 54 mins
In this compelling episode of The Leader in Us podcast, hosts Sophie Crouch and Ha Nguyen engage in an insightful discussion with Kate Swaffer, a disability activist, award-winning author, and PhD candidate at UniSA. Diagnosed with young-onset dementia at 49, Kate shares her transformative journey, challenging societal perceptions and advocating for the human rights of individuals living with dementia.
The episode explores Kate's leadership philosophy, which centres on service, kindness, empathy, and empowering others. Drawing from her personal and professional experiences, she discusses her advocacy for dementia as a disability, a concept she has tirelessly worked to embed in healthcare and policy frameworks. Her lived experience highlights systemic failures in post-diagnostic support and the critical need for rehabilitation for people with dementia.
Kate also reflects on the challenges of challenging the status quo, including stigma, exclusion, and public criticism. She emphasises the importance of resilience, bravery, and finding a personal "why" to sustain advocacy efforts. Her insights extend to the value of collaboration, common sense, and the power of authentic inclusion in leadership.
This episode is a heartfelt call to action to rethink how society supports individuals with dementia. It aims to replace outdated approaches with inclusive, rights-based practices. Kate's work underscores the potential for transformative leadership to create meaningful change.
Listeners are encouraged to reflect on their own leadership journeys and what inspires them to make a difference.
For more information about Kate, visit her website Creating Life with Words: Inspiration, Love and Truth (https://kateswaffer.com), check out her research (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8963-2431) and her activism and work with Dementia Alliance International (https://dementiaallianceinternational.org).
The episode explores Kate's leadership philosophy, which centres on service, kindness, empathy, and empowering others. Drawing from her personal and professional experiences, she discusses her advocacy for dementia as a disability, a concept she has tirelessly worked to embed in healthcare and policy frameworks. Her lived experience highlights systemic failures in post-diagnostic support and the critical need for rehabilitation for people with dementia.
Kate also reflects on the challenges of challenging the status quo, including stigma, exclusion, and public criticism. She emphasises the importance of resilience, bravery, and finding a personal "why" to sustain advocacy efforts. Her insights extend to the value of collaboration, common sense, and the power of authentic inclusion in leadership.
This episode is a heartfelt call to action to rethink how society supports individuals with dementia. It aims to replace outdated approaches with inclusive, rights-based practices. Kate's work underscores the potential for transformative leadership to create meaningful change.
Listeners are encouraged to reflect on their own leadership journeys and what inspires them to make a difference.
For more information about Kate, visit her website Creating Life with Words: Inspiration, Love and Truth (https://kateswaffer.com), check out her research (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8963-2431) and her activism and work with Dementia Alliance International (https://dementiaallianceinternational.org).