Imagine searching 20,000 holiday properties for one that suits your family’s accessibility needs, and finding just two. That was Gillian Scotford’s reality as a mum caring for her sons, and it set her on a path to change how we think about accessible properties.

In this episode of All Inclusive Solutions, Gillian joins Carol to share how a frustrating search resulted in Havendale, a beautiful bungalow where every guest can truly relax. No matter their needs.

Gillian, a former district nursing sister turned access consultant grew up in Sheffield and the Peak District. Caring for two sons with extensive accessibility needs showed her how hard it is to find a holiday home that truly works for disabled guests. That frustration led her to create Accessible Derbyshire and, eventually, Havendale, a beautiful, welcoming bungalow built with her loved ones’ needs in mind.

Gillian shares the clever design touches that make it work, and the mistakes she made along the way. Furthermore, she explains why honest, detailed information matters so much. She also highlights that accessibility is about far more than wheelchair access, and why it makes good sense for us to incorporate it into our own homes as we age.

Gillian’s warmth and practical know-how shine throughout. The episode ends with our usual quickfire round, including an unexpected fact about our accessibility expert that came from a family holiday to Butlins nearly forty years ago.

Interesting Topics

{09:31} – Why Gillian created Havendale

{18:00} – The detailed design process that Gillian used to make Havendale fully accessible

{32:20} – The one thing you can do to make your property more accessible

{46:20} – The single adaptation Gillan would make compulsory in all homes

Key Takeaways

• Think beyond wheelchair access. Only around 8% of disabled people use a wheelchair. Hearing loss, sight loss, dementia and autism matter too, and simple things like quiet spaces, good Wi-Fi and TV subtitles make people feel welcome.

• Plan your layout before you start building. Gillian’s biggest regrets were radiators, a sink and storage that were fitted before she had thought through where everything should go. Check sockets, switches and clear space first, and plan somewhere to hide equipment.

• Be honest and detailed about what you offer. Share measurements, photos and videos, including what your space cannot do. People can then decide for themselves, and no one ends up stuck in a bedroom away from the family, as Gillian once was on a holiday.

• Small, low cost touches make a big difference. Examples include pull-out shelves beside the oven, large handled cutlery, big pans, armrests on chairs and a smart trolley that does not look like medical equipment. Good design should feel lovely, not clinical.

• Future-proof your own home. Gillian’s one wish would be a bedroom and an accessible shower room on the ground floor of every home, so life stays smoother as our needs change.

You can contact:

Gillian Scotford: https://accessibleuk.co.uk

Https://accessiblecottage.co.uk

Https://accessminiguide.co.uk

Dr Carol Sargent at https://sargentgroup.consulting/

What does it take for a devoted husband to become a compassionate carer? In this moving episode, Carol speaks with Marty Schreiber, former Governor of Wisconsin, about his journey supporting his wife Elaine through more than two decades of living with Alzheimer's.

Marty shares how Elaine's early symptoms, from getting lost on familiar routes to muddling long loved recipes, marked the start of what he calls "the second Elaine." He speaks candidly about the guilt, grief and exhaustion that came with caregiving, and the medical profession's failure to properly prepare him for what lay ahead. Out of that experience came his book, ‘My Two Elaines’, written to give other carers the primer he wished he'd had.

The conversation moves through some of the most valuable lessons Marty learned along the way, from the idea of "joining her world" rather than pulling Elaine back into his, to the importance of asking for help before the carer becomes a casualty too. Carol and Marty also discuss the wider stigma around dementia, the need for society to treat it as openly as any other illness, and what politicians could be doing to better support families living with the condition.

To close, Marty reflects on what he'd wish for Elaine with the benefit of hindsight. His response offers a beautifully simple answer to what truly matters when someone can no longer remember your name.

Interesting Discussion Points

{2:03} - How Elaine's early symptoms first appeared, and the gap in support Marty found at the point of diagnosis

{10:20} - The idea of "therapeutic fibbing" and why joining a loved one's world matters more than correcting it

{22:15} - Why Marty describes carers as a "lifeline" and the importance of looking after your own wellbeing

{30:10} - Tackling the stigma around dementia and the case for making it a "chicken casserole disease"

{36:54} - What politicians and wider society could do to better support people living with dementia and those who care for them

Key Takeaways

• Carers are often the hidden second patient. Understanding and protecting your own wellbeing is not selfish, it is essential to being able to support your loved one
• Joining the world of someone living with dementia, rather than trying to pull them back into yours, brings far more peace and connection than correcting or arguing
• Asking for help is a sign of strength, not failure. Trying to manage caregiving alone puts both carer and loved one at risk
• Connection does not depend on being remembered. A hug, a smile or a shared moment can matter just as much as recognition

You can contact:

Marty Schreiber: https://mytwoelaines.com/

Marty’s book – ‘My Two Elaines’ - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Two-Elaines-Surviving-Alzheimers-Caregiver/dp/1945271213

Dr Carol Sargent at https://sargentgroup.consulting/

What happens when a GP of thirty years decides to become an entrepreneur? In this special episode, Carol turns the tables on her co-host, Tom Adler. From a childhood shaped by his father's escape from war torn Sudetenland to thirty years as a rural GP in the Peak District, Tom shares the personal journey that led him to found Bide, a simple bedside device designed to reduce night time falls in older adults.

Tom explains how seeing the devastating impact of falls on patients and families as a GP shaped his decision to create something preventative rather than reactive. Bide plays prerecorded voice messages from loved ones to gently guide someone safely out of bed. It works without an internet connection, making it accessible to everyone. Tom aims to save the NHS a large chunk of the £4.5bn it spends on dealing with fall patients every year.

The conversation moves into the realities of entrepreneurship, from pitching to investors and surviving the tricky shift from startup to growth phase. Furthermore, Carol and Tom explore why society undervalues older founders despite evidence that they are statistically more likely to succeed.

To finish the podcast, Tom makes a momentous announcement. Listen to the end to find out more!

Interesting Topics

{11:57} – Why Tom pivoted from GP to entrepreneur to create Bide

{19:03} – Tom’s biggest challenges and how he’s overcome them

{20:47} – How Tom has adapted the product to convince the market of its efficacy

{25:42} – Overcoming ageism and empowering people of all ages to become entrepreneurs

Key Takeaways

• Careers built on relationships and trust, whether in medicine or entrepreneurship, result in the resilience and communication skills needed to build a business

• Bide was born from a simple but powerful insight: most falls happen at night, and prevention has far greater impact than reacting after the event

• Simplicity can be a genuine competitive advantage

• Older founders are statistically more likely to succeed, yet society and funding structures often overlook them in favour of younger entrepreneurs

You can contact:

Dr Tom Adler at https://getbide.com/

Dr Carol Sargent at https://sargentgroup.consulting/