The Professional Footballers’ Association clinics

Joe Costello is the Consultant Admiral Nurse for Sport and Dementia at Dementia UK. Joe leads the PFA Admiral Nurse Clinic Service working closely with the PFA Brain Health Team to help deliver this specialist dementia service to PFA members and their families, carers and those close to them.

Since qualifying as a Registered Mental Health Nurse in 2003, Joe has practised clinically in the care of older people within mental health services. Dementia care has been a core component of his various acute, community and clinic nursing roles in both the NHS and at Dementia UK.

Joe is passionate about using his specialist skills, knowledge and experience in dementia care to support PFA members and their families/carers of all ages who are affected by dementia to receive high quality, appropriate care and support when they need it.

Joe has a passion for sport, including football, both playing the game and coaching at junior and adult level. He is a member of his local walking football team in the northeast of England, participating in competitions across the UK.

With over 14 years of nursing experience, Jennifer is proud to join the PFA Admiral Nurse Clinics Service supporting footballing families affected by dementia.

Jennifer is dual-qualified in Learning Disability and Mental Health Nursing and has been working with Dementia UK since 2021, when she launched the first Admiral Nurse clinic in Edinburgh.

Throughout her career, Jennifer has worked across a range of settings, from hospitals and Community Mental Health Teams to memory assessment and treatment services. Her focus has always been on providing compassionate, tailored support to families facing the challenges of dementia.

As a lifelong sports enthusiast, Jennifer is passionate about the power of sport to bring people together and to support both physical and mental wellbeing. She enjoys CrossFit, training for marathons and watching F1 and the Six Nations, as well as exploring new places around the globe.

The culture of football is rooted in connection and shared identity: values that align perfectly with the support that Admiral Nursing offers. Jennifer looks forward to helping families navigate their dementia journey with care, expertise and advice.

Tracy qualified as a Registered General Nurse in 1990 and spent her NHS career in a variety of clinical and leadership roles, focusing on care for older adults, emergency admissions, fractures, frailty and dementia. Her passion for dementia care is deeply personal as both of her parents were diagnosed with dementia, and she often felt unsupported as their primary carer.

Throughout her career, Tracy has remained deeply committed to supporting individuals living with dementia and their families. Motivated by her personal journey, Tracy transitioned into a new chapter after retiring from the NHS. She became an Admiral Nurse, first working with Age UK in her local community, and later joining the Dementia UK Helpline Team.

Tracy is a lifelong football fan, growing up in a family divided by club loyalties, and sport has continued to play a meaningful role in her adult life.

She has witnessed firsthand the positive impact it can have on individuals and families.

For Tracy, supporting the football community through the PFA is a true privilege. Listening to families who share their experiences, learning together and fostering collaborative, respectful relationships are at the heart of her role as an Admiral Nurse. Tracy is proud to bring her experience and empathy to the football community, helping families navigate the challenges of dementia with compassion and understanding.