Prior to becoming a mum, I wrote extensively about my experiences of caring for my dad. In many ways those experiences were a unique preparation for parenthood. Not in a disrespectful way – I never viewed my dad as a…
Category: D4Dementia
Why activity is everyone’s business
Go into most care homes and you will see a familiar array of staff, from carers to chefs, housekeepers to maintenance personnel. A role you will also often encounter is that of an ‘activity coordinator’. All of my dad’s three…
Doll therapy – Disrespectful or comforting?
One of the most controversial non-drug therapies for people with dementia is doll therapy. Before the work I do now, I knew this not as a ‘therapy’ but as the lady in my dad’s care home who occupied the room…
When concentration becomes difficult
I suspect that from time to time most of us lose our focus on a task, object, TV programme, person or other aspect of our life that momentarily requires us to put aside all other thoughts and images to ensure…
GP’s and care homes – A relationship under pressure
When I first read that GP’s were proposing to alter their current arrangements for visiting care homes, I wasn’t surprised. Back when my dad was living in care homes, GP’s were already under considerable pressure. I know that one of my dad’s…