Earlier this month was World Mental Health Day, an awareness-raising event designed to increase the profile of looking after our mental health. I’m a firm believer that just as we all have physical health problems, either sporadically or continually, so mental…
Tag: mental health
Resolve to tackle loneliness
“It’ll be lonely this Christmas Without you to hold It’ll be lonely this Christmas Lonely and cold.” So sang English glam rock band Mud (in the style of Elvis Presley) to top the UK singles chart in 1974, selling over…
When losing, hiding or hoarding items becomes a problem
In May 2013 I wrote a blog post entitled ‘What is dementia?’ about the symptoms of dementia. I wanted to explore the different ways in which a person’s dementia might manifest itself to reinforce the message that dementia isn’t all…
The art of gentleness
Earlier this month I found myself in the honoured position of being a judge for a care awards event. As judges we had six categories to review, and there were some amazing testimonies of the care and support dedicated social…
How dementia and personality interact
We talk A LOT in dementia care about how dementia changes a person. Often it’s distilled down into very negative language, and bracketed as ‘challenging behaviour’ (a phrase I dislike immensely). Yet, the spectrum of change is immense, very personal…
Sectioning people with dementia
Over the four years I’ve been writing this blog, I’ve met or been contacted by many families whose loved ones with dementia have been sectioned (detained in hospital without consent under the Mental Health Act). Sometimes the sectioning has occurred…
A holistic approach to multiple long-term conditions
One of the great myths around dementia is that it exists in isolation. If every person with dementia was only living with dementia and no other conditions, and they weren’t at more risk of developing other conditions during the course…
