Care home founder appointed government advisor on sport-related head injuries

The founder of a care home in Chelsea which is rated ‘Outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission for dementia support, has been appointed Ministerial Advisor on Concussion in Sport.

Laurence Geller will advise the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) on the prevention of sport-related head injuries, the long-term effects on those who play sport, the improvement of player welfare and long-term care and education.

With dementia believed to be a common side effect of long-term and sustained head injuries, Mr Geller describes himself as a passionate campaigner and activist, demanding better care and protection for those most vulnerable to the impacts of dementia.

'Will do everything I can to help make all of our sports as safe as possible'

Mr Geller was previously chairman of the Alzheimer’s Society’s National Dementia Appeal and is chancellor of the University of West London where he founded the Geller Institute of Memory and Aging, which specialises in improving the care offered to those living with dementia.

Laurence Geller said: “I am honoured and delighted to have the opportunity to work with ministers from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport in their efforts to tackle the crucial issue of concussion in sport. I care passionately about this subject and will do everything I can to help make all of our sports as safe as possible for participants of all ages and levels.

“I am looking forward to working with people from across the sporting landscape – and beyond – to find ways to protect both players and sports to ensure everyone can enjoy taking part in sport safely.”

Mr Geller is the founder and chief executive of Innovative Aged Care, which operates under the Loveday & Co brand name. Loveday & Co is the UK’s first specialist provider of dementia care for high-net-worth individuals such as footballers. Its Outstanding-rated Loveday Chelsea Court Place on the King's Road, London offers dementia care.

Three more Loveday & Co care settings are being developed in central London locations (Abbey Road in St John's Wood, Kensington Square, Kensington and Princes Square, Notting Hill) which are scheduled to open in 2021.

Mr Geller’s appointment follows virtual summits that brought together figures from the world of sport to discuss the impact of head injuries and how to improve player welfare.

Stars of sport join head injury summit

The first summit took place with people closely linked to the world of sport, some of whom have been affected by head injuries themselves.

Attendees included campaigner for research into football and concussion Dawn Astle (and daughter of late footballer Jeff Astle), former Tottenham and Hull footballer Ryan Mason, former England cricket captain Michael Vaughan, England Rugby Union World Cup winner Matt Dawson, former rugby league player Stevie Ward and former rugby union player Simon Shaw.

The second summit was attended by senior leaders from the governing bodies at the Football Association, Premier League, English Football League, Rugby Football Union, Rugby Football League, England and Wales Cricket Board, British Horseracing Authority, GB Boxing and GB Taekowndo.

The second summit focused on what steps sports are taking around concussion prevention and care to mitigate any risks - including for children and players at grassroots level - and how research and best practice can be shared. Attendees were encouraged to report back with their recommendations.

After the summit, Sports Minister Nigel Huddleston said: “I am confident we will make swift progress in improving the welfare of our present and future sports stars. Now is the time to form a coherent approach - to prevent the risk and potentially devastating impact of head injuries at elite and grassroots level, and protect the sports we love.”

Working with the Secretary of State, Oliver Dowden and Junior Minister for Culture, Nigel Huddleston, Mr Geller will support the Department’s roll out of its three-step plan on concussion:

1) to accelerate action by National Governing Bodies to strengthen concussion research;

2) to work with sport, education, and health authorities on their concussion protocols, and

3) to maximise the use of technological advances and drive innovation to improve safe participation in sport.

Mr Geller is chairman of the Love of the Game, a campaign which brought together a people with a shared passion for sport, seeking to reduce concussion-related issues arising from contact and non-contact sports. Love of the Game’s work involves identifying and funding technologies and protocols that help identify, diagnose, and treat concussions and head injuries.

Sports Minister Nigel Huddleston said of Mr Geller’s appointment: “Sport should be safe for everyone, whether at elite or grassroots level. We want to learn from both the past and the latest scientific evidence to make sure proper protections are in place, including improving awareness around preventing and managing concussion.

“I am delighted to have Laurence on board. He will play an instrumental role in coordinating action taking into account player concerns to help minimise risk in future”.