Margaret-Anne Tibbs, an 89-year-old co-founder of the Bedford-based Tibbs Dementia Foundation who spent decades transforming non-medical care across the region, died at her home on October 30 surrounded by her family, bbc.com reported.
Margaret-Anne Tibbs Dies After Championing Holistic Dementia Care
- Margaret-Anne Tibbs passed away at age 89 on October 30, following a life dedicated to championing holistic dementia care.
- She co-founded the Tibbs Dementia Foundation in 2013, which currently operates 53 groups supported by over 100 volunteers.
- Sarah Russell noted that Tibbs remained calm, reflective, and deeply invested in the charity’s community of families and volunteers up until her final days.
Founding the Foundation in Bedford
The Tibbs Dementia Foundation grew from a shared vision between Tibbs and Sarah Russell, whom she met at the Bedford branch of the Alzheimer’s Society.
The pair originally teamed up with music therapist Jeni Melia in 2008 to launch the therapy group Music 4 Memory, laying the groundwork for what would officially become a formal charity in 2013. Today, that organization runs 53 groups utilizing over 100 volunteers to assist families throughout Bedfordshire, according to bbc.com.
Reflecting on those early days, Sarah Russell described how the organization started with a shared belief and a few sums on the back of an envelope
(bbc.com). Russell added that during a visit the week prior to Tibbs’ passing, the co-founder was calm, ready, and still asking after local families and volunteers (bbc.com).
She wanted everyone to know how proud she was of what we’ve built together, and how much she loved working with and learning from them all,
Russell stated (bbc.com).
| Milestone | Year | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Specialist Social Work | 1989–1997 | Tibbs worked as a specialist dementia social worker after beginning in care homes in 1987. |
| Music 4 Memory Launch | 2008 | Started alongside Sarah Russell and music therapist Jeni Melia. |
| Foundation Establishment | 2013 | Co-founded the Tibbs Dementia Foundation, which now runs 53 groups across Bedfordshire. |
A Legacy in Non-Medical Care
Before launching her community ventures in the UK, Tibbs began her career as a social worker in South Africa. Her subsequent decades in the field shaped a distinct philosophy on supporting individuals with the syndrome.
For over 35 years, she championed the core idea that dementia care should view the whole person rather than just the condition, a spokesperson for the charity explained to bbc.com. Following her husband’s death, Tibbs started a blog in 2017 to share new approaches rooted in her extensive non-medical experience.
That writing and advocacy earned formal recognition earlier in the year. In April, Tibbs received a Times Sternberg Active Life Award, collecting the honor alongside her daughter, Anna Edwards, as reported by bbc.com. The accolade specifically recognizes individuals making outstanding community contributions after turning 70.
Summing up the enduring impact of her work, Sarah Russell shared: We will miss her deeply, but her warmth and wisdom are in every song, every conversation and every cup of tea shared at Tibbs, and they always will be
(bbc.com).
