144 - Unlocking Play and Breaking the Silence: Supporting Dementia Carers in the Workplace with Grace Steed

In this episode of the Smash Your Own Ceiling Podcast, Barbara Nixon sits down with dementia expert Grace Steed, founder of Enrichment for the Elderly.Grace shares her deeply personal journey into the world of dementia, sparked by her own grandmothers' diagnoses, and how it transformed her career from theater workshops to delivering top-tier dementia training. Together, Barbara and Grace explore the powerful role of play and curiosity in adulthood, and tackle a critical, often hidden issue in modern business: the silent struggle of employees who are juggling work with caring for loved ones with dementia.Whether you are a business owner, a leader, or someone navigating the complex world of caregiving, this episode offers invaluable insights into creating psychologically safe workplace cultures that support the people who keep our businesses running.The Power of Play for Adults: Why we shy away from play as we age, and how stepping out of our routine "adult brains" can unlock creative problem-solving and relieve stress.The "Carer’s Juggle": Understanding the profound emotional, mental, and logistical toll of managing a career while coordinating care for a family member with dementia.The Disclosure Barrier: Why so many employees hide their caregiving responsibilities out of fear of career stagnation or negative perception, and how this leads to burnout and quiet quitting.Actionable Support for Business Leaders: How to shift your workplace culture from one of "forced perfection" to genuine psychological safety, starting with leader vulnerability.Click here to find out more about GraceHope you find this usefulBarbara NixonBARBARA'S LESSON DELIVERED STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX EVERY FRIDAYJoin a growing community of Business Leaders unlocking their leadership potential. Subscribe by taking the Confident Leaders Scorecard and get your free report with practical tips to get you started. https://barbara-dn4exwq0.scoreapp.com/ and a weekly lesson every Friday in your inbox.JOIN ELEVATE - a one day deep dive coaching event for Founders and Senior Leaders who are stuck in the weeds or struggling with self doubt. https://www.barbaranixon.co.uk/work-with-barbara/elevate/