Discovering Dementia

28/05/2024

Thanks to Alzheimer's Society for sharing details of Discovering Dementia on X. There is still much to do to help reduce the stigma but glad to be playing a small part in helping this to happen.

You can listen here:
https://pod.fo/e/234c8f

26/05/2024

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tees-69037557

Judith Gates is campaigning for radical changes round heading in the beautiful game.

23/05/2024

was packed with events and a tea party first, all around spreading awareness and raising funds. Spent time at Kettering General Hospital for its Dementia Day talking to staff and visitors about the work of Dementia UK and the Admiral Nurses. Always good to have an excuse for some cake, too!

01/05/2024

The moving story of Ame and her family, and how they cared for her dad who lived with dementia, feature in the latest episode of the podcast, which focuses on the difficult topic of dementia, grief and loss.

You can listen here:
https://pod.fo/e/234c8f

Thank you to Ame for sharing her experiences.



Photos
1. Ame with her dad, mum and two brothers
2. Ame’s dad enjoying a celebration
3. Ame with her family when she was a child
4. Ame’s dad wearing a baseball cap
5. Ame’s extended family preparing to do a Memory Walk Alzheimer's Society

26/04/2024

The latest episode of the podcast explores feelings around dementia, grief and loss. Not an easy topic, especially when so many of us - carers, those affected by dementia, family and friends - are focusing on how to live well with dementia, and working hard to reduce the stigma that can surround it.

Stan lives with dementia. His wife, Candy, shares their story and experiences, which have become even more pertinent following a recent campaign by Alzheimer's Society which focused on some of the bigger challenges that people may face as dementia progresses.

Listen here:
https://pod.fo/e/234c8f



Photos
1. Stan and Candy in 1983 reading the sports section of the Manchester Evening News
2. Stan playing football
3. Stan and Candy with arms round each other posing for a photo
4. Stan sits in an arm chair
5. Portrait photo of Stan

15/04/2024

Books for people living with dementia Cognitive Books

https://www.cognitivebooks.co.uk/our-story

Launch day! We’re proud to announce Cognitive Books’ debut publication, looking back at … The Beatles, with free audio version read by actor Bill Nighy, is now available to buy! Thank you to everyone who has helped us with this launch. It’s been a huge team effort and we’re grateful to everyone who has supported us on our Cognitive Books journey. Special thanks to Alzheimer's Society for all their input and expertise, and the people affected by who helped bring Cognitive Books to life. You can find out more and buy your copy from our website cognitivebooks.co.uk

04/04/2024

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-68726703

The long-term hope is that more people will be able to access new treatments at an earlier stage.

23/02/2024

Everyone at Dementia UK is deeply saddened to learn of the death of Wendy Mitchell. A tireless campaigner, Wendy’s writing and work helped many people understand what it is like to live with dementia, as well as giving a powerful voice to those living with the condition. 💙

Wendy spoke candidly about how her dementia affected her, and her efforts will leave a lasting impact in the way we understand dementia and approach dementia care. Her contributions to our Lived Experience Advisory Panel helped to ensure the specialist dementia care we offer reflects the needs of people facing dementia.

Our thoughts are with Wendy’s family and we send our deepest condolences at this difficult time. We urge families affected by dementia to reach out to our specialist Helpline. Staffed by dementia specialist Admiral Nurses, our Helpline offers support and guidance on all stages of dementia, including grieving for a loved one. Anyone affected by dementia can contact the Helpline by calling 0800 888 6678 or emailing [email protected].

20/02/2024

01/02/2024

Lovely to share in the celebrations this week Briggs Equipment UK £114,720 raised for its Charity Partner Dementia UK in 2023. Incredible amount! Well done to each and every person at Briggs who took part in bike rides, karting, marathons, bake sales, walks and more to raise this huge sum. It will make such a difference.

17/01/2024

What is one thing you wish people knew about dementia? 🤔

We'd love to hear from you! Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments. 👇

30/10/2023

Fundraiser extraordinaire Manny Singh Kang held another
before the Wolves v Newcastle game and raised an incredible £6567.94 for Dementia UK 🎉

Got to witness samosas in the making and meet the team behind the day - Manny’s family, many friends, volunteers and all the generous people who donated. A day of pure inspiration.

And the samosas were DELICIOUS.

12/10/2023

Spent a lovely afternoon with Angela and the team at SongTime CIC in Nottingham learning more about music for dementia.

03/10/2023

In Other Words is a powerful love story written by Matthew Seager that explores the effects of Alzheimer’s disease and the transformative power of music to help reconnect those living with dementia in the later stages to those around them.

It’s just started a tour and is in the following theatres this week:
Phoenix Arts, Hampshire - 2 October
Exeter Phoenix, Exeter - 3 October
www.exeterphoenix.org.uk

The Plough Arts Centre, Great Torrington, Devon - 4 October
www.theploughartscentre.org.uk

The Mission Theatre, Bath - 5 October
www.missiontheatre.org.uk

Derby Theatre, Derby - 6 October
www.derbytheatre.co.uk

OSO Arts Centre, London - 7 October
www.osoarts.org.uk

Had the pleasure of seeing it London before the tour began and meeting the cast - Matt, Lianne Harvey and Fergus Waldron. Such moving performances which really hit home and highlight the importance of music in dementia. See it if you can.

22/09/2023

The importance of shared mealtimes and recognising changing taste buds and portion sizes in dementia

Food for Thought on
Dementia Friendly Dining

Lunchtime is one of the most important parts of any Filo day. Sharing a meal with others is a bonding experience and nourishes, in both senses of the word. Endorsing this, recent research from the University of Oxford suggests that communal eating increases feelings of wellbeing and enhances one’s sense of contentment - this is something you’ll see on any day with any of our groups. Sharing meals is particularly significant for our clients, as, for many, it is a rare occurrence.

Lunchtimes at The Filo Project are never rushed allowing for conversations to develop, banter to be exchanged and time and taste to be savoured.

Good Housekeeping magazine recently published a helpful article on Dementia Friendly Dining including suggestions around changing taste buds and portion size. Click the link to learn how to make the eating experience for those living with dementia as pleasing as possible. https://shorturl.at/sHIVW

22/09/2023

So lovely to see Peter living life to the full and enjoying cycle rides with Deb. That Penny farthing is never far away!

04/09/2023

Do you know about the specialist dementia nurses, known as Admiral nurses, at Dementia UK?

They offer support to anyone affected by dementia and their families, no matter what stage they are at.

It’s World Alzheimer’s Month so what better time to spread the word. Please tell as many people as you can about Admiral nurses so no one has to cope with dementia alone.

https://www.dementiauk.org/information-and-support/world-alzheimers-month/?utm_campaign=wam23&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=organic&utm_content=hero-video

29/08/2023

New Episode

In her role at the Alzheimer’s Society, Kelly Inwood manages a team of people who work directly with those affected by dementia.

She sees on a daily basis the importance of the help Alzheimer's Society can offer. That is why she supports the Memory Walk, a series of 24 sponsored walks across the country, aimed to raise funds for research, services and to give hope to people living with dementia now.

To find out more, go to www.memorywalk.org.uk

Listen here: https://pod.fo/e/1e6cb7

Alzheimer's Society also runs a support line. If you are affected by dementia, worried about a diagnosis, or you are a carer you can call for more information. Dementia support - 0333 150 3456 Opening hours: Mon to Weds: 9am – 8pm, Thurs and Fri: 9am – 5pm, Sat and Sun: 10am – 4pm

27/08/2023

New Episode
This Autumn, thousands of people are signing up for free to do an Alzheimer's Society Memory Walk. The sponsored walks raise money which will go towards supporting those affected by dementia.

But who are the people behind that support?

In the second episode of this new mini series, Dementia Adviser, Charlotte Murray, tell us about her work for Alzheimer's Society and explains what she does in her role.

To listen
https://pod.fo/e/1e6c16

The Memory Walk brings together people who understand the impact of dementia, mixing the buzz of the crowd along with quiet moments of remembrance.

To find out more, go to www.memorywalk.org.uk

Alzheimer's Society also runs a support line, which Charlotte mentions in the podcast. If you are affected by dementia, worried about a diagnosis, or you are a carer you can call for more information.
Dementia support - 0333 150 3456
Opening hours: Mon to Weds: 9am – 8pm, Thurs and Fri: 9am – 5pm, Sat and Sun: 10am – 4pm

Charlotte loves to walk her dog, Buddy, when she finishes work. So here they are together (love his smile!).

25/08/2023

In the first episode of this new mini series, Helen generously shares her story, talking about caring for her husband Geoff, who has a form of dementia called Primary Progressive Aphasia.

She also shares her experience of Alzheimer's Society Memory Walk, which she and Geoff did together last year. Memory Walk is a series of sponsored walks held in September and October across the UK by the Alzheimer's Society. It's free to sign up and open to all.

The events bring together people who understand the impact of dementia, mixing the buzz of the crowd along with quiet moments of remembrance. Every pound raised goes towards funding vital research and support for those affected by dementia. To sign up and find out more, go to www.memorywalk.org.uk

CONTENT WARNING:This episode contains content some listeners may find upsetting

Alzheimer's Society also runs a support line. If you are affected by dementia, worried about a diagnosis or a carer you can call for more information. Dementia support - 0333 150 3456 Opening hours: Mon to Weds: 9am – 8pm, Thurs and Fri: 9am – 5pm, Sat and Sun: 10am – 4pm



https://pod.fo/e/1e6a77 to listen

12/05/2023

This new free magazine from Dementia Help has just launched ahead of Dementia Action Week (15 to 21 May) – the very first consumer magazine for dementia carers. This new bi-monthly digital publication will help carers cope by featuring valuable insights on topics such as financial planning, managing daily caring tasks, and top-notch products and services that can genuinely make a difference. The launch issue features an exclusive interview with Scott Mitchell, widower of Dame Barbara Windsor, who had Alzheimer’s disease.

𝑭𝑹𝑬𝑬 𝑫𝑬𝑴𝑬𝑵𝑻𝑰𝑨 𝑯𝑬𝑳𝑷 𝑴𝑨𝑮𝑨𝒁𝑰𝑵𝑬!
Get your free copy of the launch issue of Dementia Help magazine out soon! Packed with advice and info on caring for your loved one. Sign up to receive your free copy here, and please be sure to tell your friends: https://dementiahelpuk.com/dementia-help-news/

05/05/2023

Always good advice from Dementia UK

13/04/2023

What an incredible list

Today marks the 8th anniversary of Peter's official diagnosis.

Here are the most notable things that Peter has achieved over the last couple of years*:

• Two books published
• Completed several book signings in both independent and
mainstream bookshops
• Delivered a number of talks to organisations and charities
about living well with the condition
• Abseiled down The Orbital Tower
• Become more widely known in the USA, including a couple of
articles in American publications
• Appeared on a monthly slot on BBC Radio Suffolk
• Appeared on the panel at this year’s Norwich Science Festival
• Become involved with starting a local dementia support group
• Been invited to be the guest speaker at this year’s Dementia
Awareness Week Conference
• Been invited to speak at this year’s Felixstowe Book Festival
• Been invited to be the Suffolk ‘face of Medicalert’
• Been supporting Suffolk HealthWatch
• Been involved in supporting Suffolk Council with their virtual
reality project
• Been referenced in an article in research paper in Hong Kong
• Been featured on over 8 different podcasts
• Cycled thousands of miles mainly on his single speed, fixed
gear bike
• Fixed several punctures
• Been a great friend to a certain small child and that child’s
grandmother
• Been Peter.

Please feel free to add your own comments to this post – it feels like an auspicious day.

*this is not an exhaustive list by any means.

08/03/2023

Worldwide around 55 million people have dementia, and there are nearly 10 million new cases every year World Health Organization (WHO). Its impact on families and carers is enormous, with some spending on average 5 hours a day providing care.

Caring for my mum has made me want to know more - what causes dementia, how does it affects the person and how we can provide the best quality care?

So I’ve started a free online course called Understanding Dementia with the University of Tasmania, run by the Wicking Dementia Centre, to discover some of the answers.

I’ve found it really helpful to understand in more detail what exactly is going on in the brain when dementia occurs.

This free MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) offers anyone in the world university-quality education about the latest dementia research and care.

The current course is open now for anyone interested in dementia, no experience necessary. Once enrolled, you can work through it in your own time until it closes on 21 April 2023.

Director Professor James Vickers, took time to meet me recently in Tasmania and showed me around the Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, a centre of excellence for research, education and support for those affected by dementia. He and his team run the course with the aim of building knowledge and understanding of dementia in the global community.

This is not an ad, just something I’ve discovered through my own research and found really helpful. Just in case it’s useful for you, too.

mooc.utas.edu.au

13/02/2023

Family members opinions about how their loved one should be cared for can differ. Here are seven tips for handling difficult conversations.

17/01/2023

12/01/2023

Dementia UK new campaign shows that if you love someone living with dementia, you’re living with it too.

Its ‘Living with dementia’ guide can help you navigate the many changes/challenges of dementia. Glad to help raise awareness of the difficulties families can face.

https://www.dementiauk.org/ilivewithdementia/

11/01/2023

07/01/2023

How one person's dementia story led to a journey of discovery. A podcast with Penny Bell.