The Dementia, Care & Nursing Home Expo is the UK’s most dynamic event for social care professionals and dedicated to inspiring the industry growth and a sustainable social care model. Boasting a position as one of the leading events within the social care sector, the event welcomed 5,800 decision makers from across the industry and gave them a platform to experience the best in technology, products, services and CPD accredited education. Combining the show focus of sustainable business with a focus on home care this year, the event was a chance for the care sector to come face to face with real innovation in technology, services, and practises that will improve the delivery of care for all service users.

The Dementia, Care & Nursing Home Expo proved the care sector to be one that is constantly growing with innovation, as the sold out floorplan displayed the very best in products and services for visitors to discover. It wasn’t just the biggest brands who had the most interest, as interactive features on exhibitor stands was common throughout the event. Tovertafel drew attentive crowds to their stand with interactive examples of their ‘Magic Table’ product, an interactive game that engages those with dementia through interactive games. A trip to stand D1100 would’ve shown visitors Informed Dementia Care, who were offering a look at their virtual reality training that is available for workers now to gain an understanding of how dementia develops. With massive stands from the likes of Blueleaf, Wolf Laundry, Orbiter Wealth Management, and Access Group appearing alongside features such as the Virtual Dementia Tour, it gave the hall a real atmosphere of discovery - all of these stands were constantly busy throughout the event. It was a fantastic reminder of how hardworking the care sector is, as the aisles bustled with business and gave the show a tangible, industrious atmosphere.

With so many innovative and market changing products and services on display, the awards were an easy way to pinpoint some of the finest exhibitors at the event. Across the four awards, Pioneers In Technology, Innovation Excellence, Outstanding Care Home Service, and Exceptional Contribution to Dementia Care, the respective winners were CareLineLive, Dechoker, National Employer Training, and Dulux Trade. Awards are a chance for Dementia, Care & Nursing Home Expo to showcase the very best of its exhibitors, recognising true innovation and cutting edge products, services and expertise that are currently benefiting the sector. These awards are a clear example of the amazing quality of exhibitor the Dementia, Care & Nursing Home Expo boasts for its visitors, and not just quality but quantity thanks to the sold out floor plan that saw 87% of the brands booking for next year!

The Virtual Dementia Tour was a clear draw for many of the visitors at the event. Being an empathic experience of what it’s like to live with dementia, this feature allows for better delivery of care thanks to the personal understanding of the effects and symptoms of dementia. The queues for the Virtual Dementia Tour grew all the way down the aisle, with visitors being heard discussing their experiences in the networking area, and throughout the floor. By providing this to visitors, it becomes clear how much aid the Dementia, Care & Nursing Home Expo can give to the industry as a whole via this complimentary training. When combined with CPD accredited seminars, masterclasses and the 300 exhibitors as well, Dementia, Care & Nursing Home Expo made for a truly well rounded and comprehensive event experience.

With a seminar line up that showcased the individuals leading the industry and developing the social care industry from the front, the Keynote Theatre was a focal point of the event. Located in the centre of the floor plan, speakers like Jonathan Cunningham MBE could be heard addressing their audience from the furthest corners of the event. This, of course, drew much attention and created a real sense of anticipation for each speaker. A diverse range of topics were covered, each one focussing on common problems that are currently faced by the care sector. Ian Thomas from Google Digital Garage led a seminar on digital marketing and how it can generate new business. Jonathan Cunningham MBE led a seminar on leadership, exploring how quality leadership can guide the industry towards sustainability, and imploring his audience to find and promote leaders within their own workforce. The quality of each speaker was undeniable, with the likes of CQC thought leader Alison Murray, ‘voice of home care’ Bridget Warr CBE, Jackie Pool, and Sue Brewin of the Alzheimer’s Society all delivering impassioned, intelligent, and insightful seminars to packed out crowds. The success of the keynote seminar programme proved the quality of CPD accredited information freely available at the event, but also went very far to cementing the amazing support the event has from the current leaders of the industry.

The Keynote Theatre wasn’t the only source of incredible seminars. The full programme was spread evenly across the remaining Home Care, Training, Technology & Innovation, Business Growth, and Care Development Theatres, with Theatre 6 being a platform for the panel sessions. In the Care Development Theatre, Joanne Lockwood delivered a personal and passionate seminar on supporting transgender and gender non conformist individuals in health and social care, highlighting key tools that can enable social care businesses to be more inclusive and supportive. The panel sessions in Theatre 6 explored the introduction of AI in social care and how to achieve a sustainable future for the industry, with panelists including representatives of  everyLIFE Technologies, NHS Digital, Microsoft, and Institute of Public Care. These panel sessions facilitated discussion between the panel experts and the decision makers that made up the eager audience. Discussions on contemporary topics such as the implementation of AI offered a chance for visitors to share their views and query the specifics of implementing and integrating AI throughout the social care industry. Having a collection of experts openly discuss such fresh topics with the audience made sure the event was firmly focussed on the future of the care sector.

The Dementia, Care & Nursing Home Expo gave visitors the chance to gain further education to consolidate what they pick up in the seminars thanks to the addition of masterclasses given by everyLIFE, Learning Curve Group, and Quality Compliance Systems. These were buzzing hives of activity, with every visitor receiving expert led, CPD accredited education that they can immediately apply when they return to work. everyLIFE were packed out throughout the event, with visitors intently listening to every bit of advice, ready to apply the new found knowledge to their own work. Across their topics ranging from the evaluation of digital planning in care, how to achieve outstanding ratings with the help of technology, and an analysis on common business risks for care businesses and how to avoid them, it was easy to understand just how busy they were. Quality Compliance Systems held masterclasses investigating the accessible information standards, as they explored how these new standards can empower staff, deal with health inequalities, and highlight how care businesses can align to these standards. Achieving regulatory compliance is essential, and this need was met through the QCS masterclasses. Completing the programme was Learning Curve Group, as they delivered masterclasses delving into the funded training available for care professionals. Understanding what training is available, how to access it, and ensuring the training is given can be the difference between an outstanding delivery of care, so this masterclass was an essential addition to the event. The success all of these masterclasses proved just how crucial these topics are in achieving success in the industry.

With the success of Dementia, Care & Nursing Home Expo this year, it sets the stage for an even better 2020. With so much positivity surrounding the seminar programme this year, Dementia, Care & Nursing Home Expo will host two new seminar halls dedicated to Dementia Care and Care Environments. The new Dementia Care theatre will look into all the work being done to improve the delivery of dementia care, from music and cognitive behaviour therapy, training, CQC inspection and everything in between. Care Environments will explore the upkeep of the environments where care is delivered, as well as the development of the best environments for all services users. With such positive feedback from the home care focus this year, coupled with a clear rise in public want for home care, Home Care Expo will be a brand new introduction to the MediWeek brand. Home Care Expo will be a dynamic event that will look into the discussions, initiatives, technology, products and services that can progress and reinvent the home care industry. For 2020 we will also be introducing Care Tech Live, this zone will exemplify how integral the use of technology is to the future of social care, acting as the intersection between Dementia, Care & Nursing Home Expo and Home Care Expo. This event will emanate from Birmingham on the 9th & 10th November 2020! All of this will be a part of MediWeek, the UK’s largest healthcare event that brings together over 35,000 healthcare professionals over 7 world-class exhibitions and conferences, all hosted at the National Exhibition Centre in March 2020. We cannot wait to welcome you to the biggest and best event the UK health and social care industries will have ever experienced.