Diane Mayhew
Co founder and campaign manager
Rights for Residents
Four years ago, I never imagined I would become a passionate campaigner, but Covid turned my world upside down. My mother-in-law, Jean, was living in a care home with advanced dementia and had always relied on my partner and I for practical and emotional support. When the pandemic struck, she was isolated and forcibly separated from us. We witnessed her rapid decline via windows and iPads, and felt powerless to comfort or reassure her.
People up and down the country joined us and became active campaigners, raising the voices of those who weren’t being heard. Motivated by sheer desperation, we began fighting for Gloria’s Law – the right to maintain contact with loved ones in health and care settings.
Our Rights for Residents campaign has been hugely successful in changing government policy and ensuring thousands of people living in care, of all ages, were reunited with their loved ones.
Although social care is something that affects each and every one of us at some point in our lives, it is only when we are personally affected that we realise how important it is. I feel passionately about working in partnership with others to highlight the importance of social care and how we can work together to improve the experience for everyone.
Diane Mayhew is speaking at the following session on Thursday 24 October:
Colleagues in conversation - Using data to reduce infection in care homes