On this podcast I’m going to explore our personal story about our experiences of navigating the healthcare system when Dad had a life-changing stroke. This is a daily and shocking experience shared by hundreds of families. I’m going to talk about why families need be involved in their relatives’ healthcare, and to encourage them to ask questions, and to be informed. By rebalancing the power dynamic between the healthcare team, the patient and family I want to discuss how we can give patients and families the confidence to feel empowered to find the right solutions and access the most appropriate care. The family hold unique knowledge of their relatives and are key to providing the links between the patient and the healthcare system. They fill in the information gaps, knowing the patient’s norm, their personality, their likes and dislikes. They fill the void for an adult unable to speak for themselves, who can’t make or challenge decisions, or attend to their own personal care. I will also be speaking about the relationship between music and dementia and why music is so significant to people diagnosed with dementia. Why is the brain so amazingly receptive to music, and how this musical world can be unlocked and explored. This leads us on to talk about health coaching; what it is, and how it can empower patients to take control of their health, and to become experts in their care when faced with long term health conditions. Health coaching accepts that patients are already experts in their condition, but need the knowledge, skills and tools to unlock this potential to become active participants in their health.