I’m often asked for my advice, as a former carer to my dad, for families with loved ones who have dementia now. The most recent example of this was my guest appearance on Pippa Kelly’s ‘Well I Know Now…’ podcast.…
Tag: relationships
A shrinking world
For the last five months I’ve written about different aspects of the coronavirus pandemic. For August, I want to think about the consequences of the required reduction in social interaction on people with dementia during lockdown. Is it all…
Family carers and the coronavirus pandemic
For the last three months I’ve written about different aspects of the coronavirus pandemic. For June, I want to think about how family carers have been affected by lockdown and the ongoing coronavirus crisis. The pandemic has raised so many…
Coronavirus and being isolated from a loved one
Last month I wrote about the coronavirus pandemic and answered two questions families supporting a loved one are grappling with: How do we hand-wash more and how do we self-isolate? For families who aren’t in the same household, however, they…
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…
It could be you
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…
Finding love again
With over 200 blogs on D4Dementia now, some of them approaching 7 years old in May this year, 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…
The forgotten workforce
In all of the meetings I’ve attended about unpaid carers in the 6+ years since my own caring role for my dad ended, the most common themes have been: A) How do we identify carers? And B) How do we…
The rainbow of dementia
This week will mark what would have been my dad’s 91st birthday, and later on in April, the 6th anniversary of his passing. These milestones have left me reflecting on the last 19 years of dad’s life, how dementia crept…
When behaviour changes…
Last week I began a series of roundtable sessions with the staff of one of my social care consultancy clients looking at changed behaviour for people who are living with dementia. The topics for discussion are pretty diverse, everything from…
Life story work – The gift that keeps on giving
One of the loveliest aspects of becoming a parent has been taking our daughter on various trips to meet her extended family. On one such trip we were given a gift, not of a teddy or a baby outfit, but…
Driving, dementia, and doing the right thing
Whenever dementia diagnosis is discussed, one of the major barriers that explains why people delay seeking a diagnosis is the fear of giving up driving. It is understandable and something I can relate to. I live in a very rural…
