The year ahead

Well, we are now well and truly into 2023 and the year ahead is stretching out in front of us, so what of the year to come?

It’s going to be a tough one for all I think, that, as they say, is a ‘given’, so this year I’m going to explain all I know and all I have learned for making the lives of those with dementia and their families just that little bit better and try to improve the wellbeing of all those affected by this awful disease as well as explain what it’s like to live with dementia and also provides updates from the Purple Angel Dementia Campaign and all it’s up to. I will also chat about nutrition and hydration, as well as things going on for carers around Torbay to help them get some much-needed ‘me time’.

After the euphoria (or not) of Christmas and New Year we sometimes come down to earth with a bump. I know I do, as Christmas festivities are a huge thing in our house and, dementia or not, we try and make the best of it.

But there’s always that little empty feeling at the beginning of January with the dread of the coming months and facing another year of not knowing where to go or what to do when dementia touches your lives, especially for the first time, so we will start at the very beginning as Julie Andrews once sang.

I am so often asked how come I have managed to live so long with this disease and yet others sadly pass away after only a few years and my answer is always the same. At the very first sign of forgetfulness becoming a problem please seek a diagnosis. Go straight to your doctor with your concerns and ask for an appointment to see someone in the memory clinic or the equivalent in your part of the world.

You see we all have forgetfulness, even kids forget things, but when it comes to forgetting how to get dressed, where you live, being lost when out or how to use a knife and fork, then you must please act quickly. I had a very early diagnosis along with a scan of my brain and even though it took a while to get the medication right, though not a cure, it certainly helped me, but a very early diagnosis is such a must. When all’s said and done, if your results come back as clear, just think of the relief you will feel; if not, I promise you, once you have got your head around it, a feeling of relief also ensues as at least you know what’s going on and you’re not just becoming more forgetful as they say.

It’s the not knowing that can hurt the most, the confusion, the ‘fog’ as they call it in front of your eyes and the frustration when everybody keeps telling you, you are getting things wrong, trust me, even for someone as placid as myself it used to drive me up the wall. I was convinced the whole world was wrong and I was right, when it turned out it was the other way around, but once you know, you can start to understand it, even if only a little, it does help.

Living with dementia for both the diagnosed and families is without doubt a very grey area and a quagmire of emotions and frustrations, but hopefully, month by month I will try to make it a little easier for you as clear and simply as I can, but please remember “if you are unsure about your memory in any way? Seek a diagnosis please!”

Till next time...