Margaret-Anne Tibbs Dies at 89 After Decades in Dementia Care
Margaret-Anne Tibbs, co-founder of the Bedford-based Tibbs Dementia Foundation and a social worker who spent more than 35 years championing holistic approaches to memory loss, died in her home on 30 October surrounded by her family, bbc.com reported. She was 89 years old.
Founding the Tibbs Dementia Foundation in Bedfordshire
Tibbs began her career as a social worker in South Africa before taking a role in a care home in 1987. That experience steered her into specialist dementia social work from 1989 to 1997, and she also authored books on the syndrome. In 2008, she teamed up with music therapist Jeni Melia and Sarah Russell to launch the therapy group Music 4 Memory. Five years later, in 2013, Tibbs and Russell formally established the Tibbs Dementia Foundation. Tibbs had met Russell at the Bedford branch of the Alzheimer’s Society. Today, the charity operates 53 groups supported by more than 100 volunteers across Bedfordshire.
Tributes and Recognition for Community Impact
Reflecting on the charity’s origins, Russell stated that the organization began “with a shared belief and a few sums on the back of an envelope.” Russell added that when she visited Tibbs shortly before her death, the co-founder was calm and still inquiring about volunteers and families. In April, Tibbs was honored with a Times Sternberg Active Life Award, recognizing individuals over 70 who make outstanding community contributions. Following her husband’s death in 2017, Tibbs launched a blog to share non-medical treatment approaches drawn from her decades in the field. A charity spokesperson noted that Tibbs consistently “championed a simple idea: that dementia care should see the whole person, not the condition.”
Frequently Asked Questions About Tibbs Dementia Foundation
What services does the Tibbs Dementia Foundation provide in Bedfordshire?
The foundation runs 53 support groups utilizing over 100 volunteers to assist families affected by dementia throughout Bedfordshire.
When was the charity established?
Margaret-Anne Tibbs and Sarah Russell officially co-founded the Bedford-based charity in 2013 after years of prior collaboration in local dementia support groups.
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