A “techno-loving” grandmother and community nurse who supports people with young-onset dementia is celebrating 50 years in the job.
Erika Slater, 67, has been described by one of her patients in Stockport as “the most kind, caring nurse I could have ever asked for”.
Ms Slater, who is known for her array of berets and headbands and describes herself as a “former goth”, was inspired to get into nursing after visiting A&E and thinking “I could do that”.
“The greatest gift is putting a smile on people’s faces and encouraging people to see the positives in life,” she said.
‘Live your life’
The grandmother-of-five, who enjoys going to gigs and listening to trance, techno and disco, said: “I used to be a goth so I’d knock on patients’ doors with my beret, white face, black lips and heavy eyeliner.”
Ms Slater, who lives in Macclesfield, left school with no qualifications before starting her training as a nurse cadet in December 1974, having been inspired by nurses on a visit to A&E.
She worked in various roles across the country before becoming a community psychiatric nurse for Pennine Care NHS Trust in Stockport in 2008, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.
Ms Slater, who said she did not plan to retire until she turned 70 in 2027, works with young people who have developed dementia symptoms in their 40s and early 50s.
“It’s quite devastating to be given a diagnosis of dementia because you’re being told you’re going to get worse and there’s no cure.
“But I find I get the greatest joy from working with people and showing them you can live well with dementia,” she said.
“I tell them don’t put off what you can do today – live your life now, none of us know what’s round the corner.”
‘Joyful moments’
She said that there were joyful moments in her job, while supporting patients who were often in crisis.
One such incident happened when she went to sit on a sofa after dancing with a patient and missed, ending up “flat on my back and their dog, a big heavy bull terrier, jumped on top of me licking my face”.
She said her patient was “laughing his socks off” while his wife said “so this our new nurse is it?”
Ms Slater’s colleague, Claire Mengell said Erika was “a one off” and “a credit to her profession”.
