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"if Scotland wants public services that are sustainable, person-led and equitable, as the reform programme states, then social care must be funded, designed and measured as prevention, not patched in as an afterthought."
Courage was a major theme in my research findings -- courage links common humanity & community solidarity. Courage can be supported either through self-compassion or by like-minded others or both (supportive teams cultivate courage, & courage is fearlessly person-centred rather than risk-centred!)
Image of the Edinburgh Meadows park. Sunshine is falling onto green grass among trees that don't yet have leaves, and there is a wide range of people of all ages enjoying the day.
Early spring sunshine on the Meadows in Edinburgh. Somehow everything softens a little #spring #sun #Edinburgh #awakening
The image shows a purple box with white writing inside. The title is 'Compassionate engagement through poetry, hurt and heart'. Smaller text type below it is a preview of the Substack blog post beginning 'Many of us have writing and/or other work and life passions...'
New blog post inspired by the poetry of Kathleen Jamie
#poetry #heart #compassion
Superlative (11)
"With rare exceptions, all of your most important achievements on this planet will come from working with others - or, in a word, partnership" - Dr. Paul Farmer
As we remember Paul Farmer's legacy we recognize the power of collaboration in transforming health care systems.🧡
One of my favourites ❤️
𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲...⭐️🩵💮
#smalltalk
Photo in the Palm Cafe of the Balmoral Hotel, Edinburgh. There is a sparkly lit display of red and white flowers in front of a tall mirror reflecting the skylight too.
What a lovely place for a treat of morning coffee today (at the Balmoral Hotel, Edinburgh). The sofa I was sitting on was so comfortable 🫠
The image is the text of the following poem, called 'Ash Wednesday': Ash Wednesday I am full of my own plans for how to be holy, and immediately they go wrong. Irreverently, I sleep in, and am late. Twelve minutes behind, I walk up the familiar steps. The breathing rhythm of said morning prayer swings back and forth across the choir stalls. I sit in the Memorial Chapel to wait, in stillness. Mass begins. We confess. You mark the cross on our foreheads, saying: Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return. Then, the peace of your handshake By remakes me, from grace only. I wasn’t prepared for resurrection today. We eat and drink Him, absorbing. I am corrected, sobered: Loved. My own plans for how to be holy disintegrate, like the palm crosses burned for the ash. ~MP, 02/2013
A poem I wrote more than 10 years ago marking this day. #AshWednesday
To increase any benefits of professional support/services for us lay people, I recommend a key thing to professionals: slow down! To be hit with unfamiliar language, requests for private information & emotional decisions at speed is overwhelming & risks regretted decisions. Who else feels this too?
Here is the wonderful 'Out in the Dark' by Edward Thomas, found here in one of my well-loved poetry anthologies.
Warmest wishes to you all in the gifts of night, light and listening this Christmas Eve, and in all the days to come.
#Listening #kindness #compassion #poetry #darkness #light
A black and white photo of a shadow of a hand with lines behind the hand formed by window slats.
Even my shadow is reaching for light 😂
#December #darkness #light #AwaitingWinterSolstice
This week’s #podcast is a call to both the Scottish and UK Governments to focus on the critical state of #socialcare in #Scotland in the forthcoming #Budget process.@scotgov @GOVUK
open.spotify.com/episode/6uBG...
Pink and orange clouds if sunset behind a 3-spired cathedral, framed by two rows of terraced along a wide street
Edinburgh November sky with St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral spires
Thank you so much, & for sharing! It was great to reflect on these questions and share perspectives and encouragement 😌
Alt text: A job advertisement for a dietitian position in community programs in Inuvik, Northwest Territories. The top half shows an Inukshuk with a scenic sunset background of water and mountains. The bottom half features a person sitting on a cliff overlooking a vast landscape with water bodies and trees. Overlaid text reads: "NOW HIRING: DIETITIAN, COMMUNITY PROGRAMS - NORTH (INUVIK, NORTHWEST TERRITORIES)." The bottom right corner displays the "PracticeNWT" logo.
We are now hiring for a Dietitian, Community Programs in Inuvik, Northwest Territories! Salaries up to 126.8k plus $36.7k - $37.9k in paid benefits in the first year, as well as comprehensive health & dental, defined benefit pension and relocation assistance are provided.
ow.ly/AE6X50WNSSX
#medsky
This quote underscores the urgency and importance of the WATCH project’s mission: to break down barriers and create best practice guidance for inclusive vaccine trials in care homes.
🔍 Learn more about how we’re tackling this challenge.
Head and shoulders photo of middle-aged woman with chin-length light hair, pale freckled skin, slightly smiling. There are bookshelves behind her and stained glass windows visible beside her desk.
A welcome chance to have studying time in one of my favourite libraries today. Buzz of Edinburgh festival just outside, ordered loveliness of books inside. What are some of your favourite go-to spaces? #NewCollege #UniversityofEdinburgh
Perhaps you are a current or past researcher and you have asked such questions of yourself, too. Come and explore these questions with us this afternoon!
Looking forward to it!
Marseille view as the heat begins to ease #france #marseille #midsummer #sunset
Join the University of Aberdeen as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Practical Theology, exploring dementia & mental health across cultures. Apply by 2 June 2025. Closing date: 2nd June
www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/job/research...
onlinevents.co.uk/event/common...
@agescotdementia.bsky.social @justacarehomeg1.bsky.social @scottishcare.bsky.social @enrichscotland.bsky.social @drdmacaskill.bsky.social @bexmckinney.bsky.social @crossreach.bsky.social
An image of a poster for an onlinevents seminar is shown. The title is on the left, in white writing on a blue background, which reads 'Common Humanity & Community Solidarity: Freedom & Caring Research Insights.' There is a yellow banner at the bottom left that says 'Fri, 25 Jul 2025, 17.00-18.00 BST. In the middle, there is the Therapy and Social Change logo, which is a circle of interlinking hands of many skin colours. On the right is a photo of the seminar speaker. She has blonde shoulder length hair and pale skin, and she is wearing glasses and smiling. The collar of her green sweater can be seen in the photo too. The caption underneath the photo, printed in black on a yellow background, reads 'TaSC Seminar with Martha Pollard.'
What a privilege it has been to learn from the insights of family carers & care staff in my research on freedom. Join us to reflect together on ways to connect to strengthen common humanity & community solidarity to benefit everyone.
Tickets are free and I've put the seminar link in the comments 😊
This #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek, we’re re-sharing our blog on how mindfulness can support people living with dementia and unpaid carers.💙
Written in collaboration with Martha Pollard at @slantinglight.bsky.social - read the blog here:
www.agescotland.org.uk/news/1287-bl...
#mindfulness #dementia
Great to have had the chance to collaborate on the blog and to be able to share it again this week. Mindfulness and (self)compassion can be so beneficial for us in anything we may be experiencing 😌 #community #wellbeing #commonhumanity #solidarity #listening #being #creativity
