Why Elizabeth’s Wish Exists

Elizabeth’s Wish did not begin as a campaign, a policy proposal, or a petition. It began as a family trying to make sense of loss.

My grandmother, Elizabeth, was admitted to hospital while living with dementia. What followed was not inevitable, and it was not simply the result of illness or age. It was the consequence of a system that was unprepared, inconsistent, and unaccountable when it came to dementia care. Key aspects of her needs were missed. Her vulnerability was not fully recognised. Safeguards that should have been routine were not embedded. She died as a result of poor, non-accountable care.

In the weeks that followed her death, one question kept returning: How can this still be happening?

Dementia is not rare. It is not unexpected. It is not a surprise diagnosis arriving unannounced at hospital doors. People living with dementia occupy a significant proportion of NHS hospital beds every day. Yet too often, hospital systems still treat dementia as an “add-on” rather than a core patient safety issue.

Elizabeth’s Wish exists because of that disconnect.

This is not about blaming individual staff. Throughout my own career, I have worked alongside compassionate professionals who want to deliver good care. But goodwill alone cannot compensate for systems that lack training, structure, and accountability. When staff are unsupported, patients suffer.

Elizabeth’s Wish is a response to a simple but uncomfortable truth: When a system is not designed for dementia, harm becomes predictable.

This campaign exists so that families do not leave hospitals with unanswered questions, regret, and grief compounded by the knowledge that things could and should, have been different.

Elizabeth’s Wish is about turning loss into purpose.