October 2016 – Dr Odd's Blog (almondemotion)

Dog love

I picked-up Maisie from the kennels this evening. She’d been in there since last Wednesday when my family travelled out to meet me in Amsterdam. The kennel is a couple of miles from where I live, off a busy road, with rusting doors, chipped paint and a neatly trimmed lawn. Next to Maisie was anContinue reading “Dog love”

Visiting times

I am sure I have written about this before, in relation to my thoughts about the whole visiting times situation in the UK. Thanks to the work of John’s Campaign, the status quo is being eroded and the wards are being unlocked. For me, I return to questioning where my passion for this came-from; IContinue reading “Visiting times”

Pictures, anxiety and Gouda

I have been getting worried about how I will describe all that I have seen and done during the past couple of days in Gouda – departing from my usual style, I am going to use my preferred means of communication… pictures – Note – anyone visiting or travelling here from the UK, the pronunciation…Continue reading “Pictures, anxiety and Gouda”

A bit about Buurtzorg

This isn’t beating our scythes into ploughshares, more converting our managers into coaches, and, our technologically disease focused institutions into holistic health hubs.

Language! (2)

Over the months, back in the 1980’s I quickly picked-up the language and all was well;

Gouda and This is me

All these little bits, these fragments of who we are, where we have been and what we have done contribute to our whole

Teal, Gouda & Buurtzorg

Today, I am in Gouda, Holland. Tomorrow I am talking at a Microsystems conference in the local Green-Heart hospital. I don’t have much of an idea what it will be like, who will be there or even what I will talk about. Sure, I have a PowerPoint ready; as to whether this is what theContinue reading “Teal, Gouda & Buurtzorg”

Snippets (ix) Giffnock (iv) Fragments (ii)

Of Human Bondage and The Ascent of Man

Snippets (viii) Giffnock (iii) Fragments (i)

Kizzie.

Snippets (vii) Giffnock (ii) Iggy

I heard Iggy Pop on the radio yesterday. One of the things he said, that has stuck with me is, he didn’t realise how great the 70’s were at the time. The 70’s – a strange, dust-covered decade sitting in my memory. It might be what I return to in my old age. It wasContinue reading “Snippets (vii) Giffnock (ii) Iggy”

Snippets (vi) Giffnock (i) Shul

I couldn’t sing and even though Revered Levy (an absolutely incredible man), the cantor, gave us Kit-Kats.

Dog

The constraints of modernity are a strange perversion.

Language!

Let us lift our love-ones out of the morass of 21st Century care.

Unlearning and dying

We need to unlearn some of what we have taken-on, those of us who have moved through the profession and we need to support those who have just arrived to hold-on to their beginner’s mind

Mindfulness & breakfast

I could probably kill two birds with one stone by getting rid of my breakfast routine and spending the time doing 10 minutes’ mindfulness.

Snippets (v) Car

We seem to have our values mixed-up.

Snippet (iv) Winter Garden

Like a swan, a goose, an oboe and someone in mourning.

Snippets (iii) Green tea

this causes a surge in chlorophyll

Snippets (ii) Keto coconut

The idea is that I eat keto

Snippets (i) Regrets & missed moments

Just listening to the new Teenage Fanclub album.

There is so much happening

People for whom caring is so inherent, so part of the job-description that it needn’t be said – like breathing, moving, loving – imperatives of existence.

What I learned today…

I have had the most amazing day – not only did I get to sit on The Angel of the North, I went to Fountains Abbey with my family and wandered round the beautiful ruins & gardens (if you haven’t been recently, it is worth the trip!). I also attended the Agile Conference inContinue reading “What I learned today…”

Person-Centred Teams & People

Before I say anything, I’d like to begin by thanking the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Programme for starting me along this journey, and, Helen Sanderson for making it meaningful. If anyone is interested in reading more, please check-out Helen’s books or Helen Sanderson Associates’ website. I have written a few blogs about Person-Centredness – mostly how weContinue reading “Person-Centred Teams & People”