‘I’m proof that you can live well with dementia’
‘The signs of dementia were there three years earlier, when colleagues noticed I wasn’t performing to my usual standard as a mental health support time recovery worker. I put it down to stress, and hoped the tests I was offered would confirm this. When the tests came back to say I had Alzheimer’s, I was devastated beyond belief.
‘In the beginning, it was hard for me to accept that I had dementia. My father had it in the 1990s, but there wasn’t a lot of information around back then, so I didn’t fully understand it and thought only elderly people got it.
‘A dementia diagnosis is lifechanging, and it took me a while to finally embrace my condition. Once I got over the initial shock, I decided to take back control of my life and, even though I no longer work in the traditional sense, I keep myself busy.
‘I’ve worked with hospitals to make them more dementia friendly; for example, using larger fonts on information boards and clear signage dotted around to show where the toilets are and how to get to them. Wherever I go, I find myself doing dementia awareness training. Once, I pointed out at my local Mcdonald’s that a black mat at the entrance may be mistaken for a hole by people with dementia – so the manager is going to replace it with a colourful one.
‘I go to a tai chi class every week; not only is it a gentle way of keeping fit, it’s great for the mind and very calming. I found a local dementia group through Alzheimer’s Society – it’s brilliant to socialise over activities such as Dementia Cafes, and even just chat to people who know what you’re going through.
‘I’m living proof that you can live well with dementia. I don’t have a partner and I choose to live independently on my own. My friends and grown-up children help out when I need it. My advice would be to do lots of research and know what to look out for. That way, if it is dementia, you can explore your options and plan for the future sooner.’