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Long‐term care in general, and care homes in particular, have never enjoyed high status as a place to live and work. This remains the case. In large part this marginalised position is due to the continued failure to value the contribution that care homes make to supporting frail and vulnerable older people. In order to promote a more positive vision of what can be achieved in care homes, this paper argues for the adoption of a relationship‐centred approach to care. The need for such a model is described, and how it might be applied using the ‘Senses Framework’ is considered. It is argued that adopting such a philosophy will provide a clearer sense of therapeutic direction for staff working in care homes, as well as more explicitly recognising the contribution that residents and relatives can make to creating an ‘enriched environment’ of care.

This article describes the evaluation of the ACE club, a service for younger people with dementia in North Wales. The evaluation was conducted by the ACE club members and conducted through a relationship‐centred approach expressed through the Senses Framework (achievement, belonging, continuity, purpose, security, significance) (Nolan et al, 2006). Members of the ACE club found the sense of significance to be the most important and meaningful ‘sense’ in helping to structure their evaluation and use of the ACE club. The clinical interventions outline is shared within the text to help provide a grounded and inductively generated practice structure. The funding of ‘normalising’ activities for younger people with dementia is an area of dementia care that needs urgent attention.

This paper aims to reports on an academic–industry service development innovation to advance the symptom monitor and track feature within the CogniCare app to support family carers of people living with dementia. Expert opinion from dementia care professionals identified key monitoring strategies for enhanced carer competence and confidence in the early identification of relevant symptoms that would help facilitate meaningful hospital/social care consultations.

A co-production approach between industry and academia included stakeholder representation from NHS Highland and Alzheimer Scotland. Dementia care experts validated items to be included for symptom monitoring and tracking using a newly developed A²BC²D²EF² framework as part of this project and recommended additional strategies for monitoring symptom change, including carer well-being.

Dementia care experts perceived the symptom monitoring and track feature to have the potential to support family carers with dementia care at home and foster a relationship-centred approach to dementia care to facilitate meaningful hospital/social care consultations.

The CogniCare app is the first platform of its kind that aims to support family carers to care for people living with dementia at home. This unique service development collaborative combined dementia and digital expertise to create innovative digital solutions for dementia care. The proposed monitoring and tracking feature is perceived by dementia care experts as a tool with the potential to enhance carer confidence and thus enable safe and effective dementia care within the home environment.

The need for more holistic and inclusive approaches to assessment and care management for older people is widely promoted but difficult to achieve. This paper describes the All Together Now initiative in Swansea, South Wales, which seeks to promote better practice in assessment and care management by actively involving all stakeholders, older people and family carers, and practitioners and service providers from across the statutory and third sectors. The project is underpinned by a relationship‐centred approach based on the belief that an enriched environment of care will only be created when the needs of all stakeholders are acknowledged and given attention. How such a model was used to establish the goals for the project is described, together with the proposed model of evaluation.

This paper argues that all parties in care settings ‐ that is, older people and their carers, qualified and unqualified staff and students ‐ have learning needs, and that an appreciation of these needs is essential if high‐quality care and a positive work environment are to be achieved. It describes the rationale for, and the development of, the Profile of Learning Achievements in Care Environments (PLACE) approach. Building on the notions of relationship‐centred care and underpinned by the 'Senses Framework', PLACE seeks to provide a toolkit for identifying learning needs, establishing what seems to be working well and agreeing areas in need of improvement. The theory underpinning PLACE and the methodology for its development are described and potential areas for application are considered.

This paper briefly describes the rationale for and the development of the CARE (Combined Assessment of Residential Environments) profiles. The CARE profiles represent a new approach to quality improvement in care homes for older people that seeks to gain the views of residents, relatives and staff, and to use these as a basis for celebrating what works well in a home and identifying areas that need attention. The paper begins with a consideration of the limitations of existing quality initiatives and argues for a model that is more inclusive. Subsequently, the theoretical underpinnings of the CARE profiles, positive events, the Senses Framework, and a relationship‐centred approach to care are outlined. The process by which the CARE profiles were developed is then described and a case study highlighting how they might be used is presented.

Psychodynamic observation and emotional mapping (POEM) is a professional development (CPD), supervisory and research process, which works from the ‘inside out’. It aims to ensure that staff experience is placed at the heart of understanding meaningful, relationship‐centred care in the workplace. Central to this process is the assumption that feelings occurring ‘under the surface’ in both staff and patients are important channels of communication impacting on staff, care practice and the service setting. In terms of good psychological health for staff and patient, the POEM approach facilitates the digestion and understanding of both conscious and unconscious processes in the workplace. It also contributes towards a healthier, more open workplace in which staff teams are supported in their capacity to think and respond effectively and honestly to everyday clinical and organisational pressures.

Research on leadership is reviewed, beginning from the now abandoned idea of the “born” leader. The present view of the three elements important for the understanding and practice of leadership are personality, leaders' behaviours and situational factors. Beyond that, attempts are now being made to analyse and define the charismatic or visionary leader.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the negative stigma associated with dementia, as well as the person‐centred care initiatives introduced by a not‐for‐profit care provider, to prevent the social isolation of residents.

The author explains how The Orders of St John Care Trust has led the way in promoting the social inclusion of individuals with dementia, by keeping a relationship‐centred approach at the heart of care practices. Set out in a structured analysis format, her article takes the reader through the latest dementia research, as well as exploring the independent techniques introduced by care homes across the trust to ensure social inclusion, while minimising the use of anti‐psychotic drugs.

The article highlights the benefits of ensuring a person‐centred approach to those affected by dementia. By taking individual requirements into consideration, helping specialist care organisations to improve the quality of life of their residents and increasing active participation in society is achievable.

A standardised and static approach to dementia care is ineffective and can reduce the quality of life for those living with the condition. However, making small changes to care practices and focussing on an individualised approach can avoid social isolation.

This paper sets out a number of initiatives proven to champion dignity, autonomy and inclusion for those affected by dementia. As well as providing the results of successful care initiatives, the article gives advice to enhance the quality of life for residents, their families and their carers, guiding exceptional care practices.

While there is a growing body of literature seeking to explain interorganisational cooperative relationships, little from a communication perspective has emerged. This paper outlines the critical role played by communication in interfirm stategic alliances evident in Australia's telecommunications sector, concentrating on relationships involving the three carriers — Telecom, Optus, and Vodafone — and their firsttier ‘partners’. The study methodology focuses on in‐depth interviews with key industry and government executives. A key finding was the central role played by interpersonal relationships, centred on communication embedded in a climate of trust and commitment. The paper is divided into seven sections: (1) an introduction to the area of interorganisational cooperation; (2) an outline of the Australian telecommunications industry as the focus of the empirical work reported in the paper; (3) a discussion of how to best understand interorganisational cooperation, including an outline of the strategic alliances and partnerships involved in the study; (4) debate on how best to manage such alliances; (5) characterising the central role of communication for such relationships; (6) describing perceptions of such alliances; and (7) a conclusion, including pointers to future research directions and practices in the field.