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Profile – Mike Parish, Lived Experience Researcher

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28/08/2024

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Mike Parish

Name:

Mike Parish

Job Title:

Post-Carer for my husband / Director LGBTQ+ Dementia Advisory Group CIC

Place of work / study:

N/A

Area of Research:

I started a company having experienced a lack of knowledge support and understanding around dementia and dementia care for my husband. Following my partners death in late 2022, the company has grown and we have input to academic projects, local services, national organisations, podcasts and various other media opportunities. We focus specifically on LGBTQ+ People and their experience, either as a carer or as a dementia patient and focus on developing knowledge, information and training to improve services for people in this minority category.

How is your research funded:

N/A

Tell us a little about yourself:

I am 69 years old, I had a career of over 40 years in the London Fire Brigade as a manager, trainer and operational responder to major incidents and disasters. I worked with most public authorities including emergency services in effective response to disasters and mitigating risk and improving safety for the public. I met my future husband at 20 years old in 1975, and we live together until 2022 when my husband died of progressive supranuclear palsy, aged 67. my husband developed monocle of impairment in 2008, retired medically from work in 2010.

I retired from work in 2014 to then look after him as he was no longer able to safely care for himself. I have committed to change wherever possible the hardship and lack of support for carers (particularly though not exclusively within minority sexual and gender communities). I do this both for the hoped outcome as well as in the name of the legacy for my wonderful husband, Tom.

Tell us a fun fact about yourself:

Elton John pushed my car when it broke down.

Why did you choose to work in dementia research?

Apart from the personal experience of dementia, I think it’s absolutely clear that of all the diseases that affect people in our Society. It is the least understood, least resourced, and is a crisis for loved ones families and relatives of those experiencing it.