Age Scotland announces new Head of Dementia

Dr Kainde Manji has been appointed Age Scotland’s new Head of Dementia.

The newly created role will enable Age Scotland to take a more formalised and strategic approach to dementia, uniting the various strands of dementia work currently being undertaken across the organisation.

Manji joined Age Scotland in 2019 as manager of the About Dementia project, which works alongside people affected by dementia to shape policy and practice. Age Scotland and About Dementia were recently announced as National Legacy Partners for the Life Changes Trust and will be hosting the Life Changes Trust’s dementia resources collection online following the Trust’s March 2022 closure. Age Scotland and About Dementia are also currently working in partnership with the Scottish Government to distribute £1million of funding between 2022 and 2023 to support the growth of Dementia Friendly Communities and Meeting Centres across Scotland.

Manji’s voluntary sector career has included roles at NUS Scotland and Close the Gap, prior to a move into academia and the completion of a PhD at University of Glasgow examining the impacts of disability benefit reforms on disabled people in Scotland. She then spent 3 years at University of Stirling researching dementia and neighbourhoods before moving to Age Scotland. 

When asked about her new appointment, Manji said:

“It has been a privilege to work alongside people living with dementia and unpaid carers for the past three years to call for changes in policy and practice. This new role recognises Age Scotland’s commitment to dementia in the longer term. Crucially, it also underscores our dedication to putting the voices of people with lived experience front and centre in our work. Our interest in dementia and empowering those affected is here to stay. I am delighted to take on this new role and look forward to seeing dementia continue to play a central role in all of Age Scotland’s work into the future.”

Age Scotland CEO Brian Sloan added:

“We are delighted that Kainde is taking up this new role as Head of Dementia at Age Scotland. We have been committed to improving the lives of people living with dementia and unpaid carers for many years and as our activity has grown it has become much more of a core part of our work. This new position demonstrates our continued commitment and by bringing all of our dementia work across the organisation together, we will have a more focused, robust strategy, enabling us to work for a better experience for people in Scotland affected by dementia.”