One of the loveliest parts of my work is being able to help people by sharing our experiences as a family, augmented by what I have learnt from my campaigning and consultancy in the 8+ years since my dad died.…
Tag: awareness
Demanding better for people with dementia
Ordinarily, September is dominated for me by World Alzheimer’s Month (or World Dementia Month as I prefer to call it), which in practice means 30 days of sharing all of the great content, ideas and initiatives that lots of fantastic…
Bothered and bewildered by the portrayal of dementia
The portrayal of dementia on TV and in the arts has undoubtedly risen since my dad was living with dementia. From major soaps to numerous stage plays, dementia – it seems – is popular subject matter. I’m not against portraying…
Myths and lessons
With over 200 blogs on D4Dementia, some of them now 7 years old, I’ve decided to spend my 2019 year of blogging by re-visiting some of the topics I’ve covered previously, throwing fresh light on why they remain relevant, and…
We are family – A Dementia Action Week blog
With over 200 blogs on D4Dementia now, some of them approaching 7 years old this month, I’ve decided to spend my 2019 year of blogging by re-visiting some of the topics I’ve covered previously, throwing fresh light on why they…
Five things I wish I’d known before my dad’s dementia
I’ve lost count of the number of times people have asked me for tips and advice when dementia has come into their life. With more people than ever before now living with dementia, or knowing someone with dementia, it seems…
Is it World Alzheimer’s Month, or World Dementia Month?
I should begin this blog by saying I am fully supportive of awareness-raising initiatives aimed at educating, informing and supporting people who are living with any type of dementia, their families, health and care professionals, communities and societies. The biggest…
Why awareness of dementia isn’t enough
Dementia Awareness Week (#DAW2016) is arguably the most dementia-focused week of the year in the UK. It’s a time for launching initiatives, publications, products and services, and for charities, organisations and businesses to raise the profile of their work. Indeed,…
Finding the value in every generation
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…
Dementia takes… and dementia gives
The start of a new year is a time that many people find themselves in a reflective mood, and I have more cause than most to feel that way as 2016 kicks off. As some readers may know if they follow…
Spotting dementia
My last D4Dementia blog was all about remembering the person, and as World Alzheimer’s Month draws to a close for 2015, I want to tackle another theme from this month of awareness raising – spotting the signs of dementia. I’ve…
Remember me
My dad’s legacy Since 2012, this slide is how I have finished many a presentation at a conference or event. It’s a simple philosophy, but a highly effective one at helping audiences remain grounded in the most vital aspect of…
Why don’t we listen to people with dementia?
Before I get into the substance behind the title I’ve chosen for this blog post, I first want to acknowledge that there are organisations who do listen to people with dementia, and organisations exclusively made up of people with dementia…