Understanding dementia
What is dementia and how can we best help people living with it?
How to cope with early onset dementia
Caroline Blanchette and Dr. Jacqui Hussey, trustees of charity Younger People with Dementia (YPWD), talk about the difficulties people face when a loved one develops dementia at a younger age and offer practical advice on how to cope with an early onset dementia diagnosis. This is something that could happen to our friends or siblings […]
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Speaking up for our community in Dementia Friends
Written by Sandra Bullen When They Get Older visited the UK Government Cabinet Office in July 2013 to take part in a roundtable on Dementia Friends, a new initiative run by the Alzheimer’s Society and funded by the Cabinet Office and the Department of Health. The campaign is part of the Prime Minister’s challenge on […]
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Dad, dementia and connecting through art
Written by Rebecca Lenton This week’s storyteller is Ro Lavender. Ro tells us how watercolour painting brought her closer again to her father, Peter Scott, after advancing dementia had caused a collapse in communication between them. My dad was an architect and a very capable and independent individual. He was a practical man who always […]
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When helpers become the enemy
This week’s storyteller is Sally.After years of being his wife’s carer, Sally’s father began to believe that everyone coming into his home wanted to poison him or steal his treasures. In this first part of her story, Sally describes how her father slipped into delusional paranoia and how his family struggled to help. After more […]
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Recognising signs of dementia
Written by Kathy Lawrence Dementia is much in the news now. But can we differentiate between failing memory that besets the elderly and the busy, and true dementia? Looking at the lists of early symptoms of dementia that are being publicised, it would be easy to have a three-step reaction. OMG that’s me. Panic! If […]
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Why eating well is important in dementia
We’re seeing new advice almost every day on how to prevent or delay dementia. It’s hard to know what to do for the best. A new review has taken a look at a wide range of current research to see if there is knowledge that we could use to help our parents – and ourselves […]
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Can an Admiral Nurse help in dementia care?
Written by Rebecca Lenton With dementia fast-becoming the most talked about condition in the UK, a disease which David Cameron describes as the ‘greatest enemy of humanity’, it’s important to know who can help should your parent or relative receive a diagnosis. Admiral Nurses have long been supporting families affected by dementia and continue to […]
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Enjoying nature and the outdoors with a family member with dementia
Being out in nature and sharing activity outside is something which brings immediate benefits to people living with dementia and we believe is a crucial part of “living well”. The outdoors is the original multi-sensory environment and we don’t need to be taught or learn how to connect with it. It is free and on […]
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Travelling with a parent who has dementia
There are over 100 different types of diagnosable dementia, from Alzheimer’s to vascular dementia. Each individual will face differing symptoms which means their care will have to be tailored to meet their individual needs. Despite the challenges, a holiday can be a rewarding experience for you and your parent as well as other family members. […]
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Caring for a dad with dementia, blindness and hearing loss
Written by Rebecca Lenton This week’s storyteller is Jacky. Another urgent call from mum but fortunately this one is less of a crisis than many others. Dad has walked unaided and sat himself in a low chair from which neither he nor mum can move him. When I arrive dad is singing a hymn at […]
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