No. 41 Photographs & text by Katie Rogers
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umber 41 resides in the Michael’s Pick’s disease, his mood quirky seaside town of is very easily shifted depending on Morecambe Bay, and simple things. Such as, if he’s had is the household of the too much or too little sleep, if he unconventional Booth, Chick and doesn’t want to go somewhere, or Rogers family. Gradually over time, there’s somebody doing something the family has evolved and changed that he simply doesn’t like. This puts to a state where it isn’t considered pressure on mum, Julia, which makes the normal framework of a family. her “walk on eggshells” to avoid Let’s start with the residents of upsetting him. Charlotte, Michael’s the house. There’s Alfred, the father personal assistant, helps to keep of Julia and grandfather to his mood swings at bay Hannah, myself and Alfie. by taking him out on Next there’s Julia, the long walks down mother of Hannah, Morecambe’s myself and Alfie. promenade up Michael is to Heysham Julia’s husband Village or Text & photographs by and Alfie’s by driving father, who him up to Katie Rogers suffers from a Ambleside form of dementia for a day out. called Pick’s F o r t u n a t e l y, disease which the family gets affects the frontal government funding and temporal anterior for Michael’s care plan. lobes of the brain. Then there’s Alfie goes through a lot of Hannah, aged 23 who studies daily struggles as a child in this biomedical science at Manchester environment, with his father being Metropolitan University, myself, mentally ill Alfie doesn’t experience aged 20 who studies photographic a normal childhood. Everyone in the journalism at Leeds Beckett house tries their best to make him University and Alfie, aged 8 who feel like a regular kid, by encouraging attends Sandylands Primary School. him to take up extracurricular The daily routines in the house activities. Over the past month, although are particularly repetitive, he has taken up an Irish dancing can change rapidly with the clashing class and musical theatre class personalities and range of ages. With because of a Michael Flatley theatre
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Michael & Charlotte, his personal assistant who takes him for a few hours a couple of times a week
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No. Hannah returning back from her shift on the maternity ward at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary.
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No. show that he has recently been to see in Manchester, and his love for Billy Elliot, The Sound of Music and The Lion King. So far, this has helped boost Alfie’s selfesteem and mood as he is practicing the material that has been taught in the classes. After a few years of being a health assistant at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary, Hannah decided to study Biomedical Science at Manchester Metropolitan University. After a couple of knockbacks of applying to study nursing at Leeds Beckett University and University of Leeds, it made her realise what her real passion was. At 23-years-old, she moved out for the first time to Manchester in September to begin her studies. Hannah decided to come back home for a while after Christmas break, whilst still completing her studies on the foundation course, for her own mental health. She is now getting
41 back on track, and is looking forward to beginning the first year of her course. Julia is the skeleton that holds the family together – if it wasn’t for her, the family wouldn’t be as put together as what it is. By taking in her dad, Alf, when he was in need of extra care, over time she offered him to move into our home and sell his 3 bedroom house that was too big for him to upkeep. After a year of living in the family home, Alf is a much happier and less lonely man, and the company of his family keeps him upbeat and healthier. Last summer, Julia had to make the decision to retire as a part-time hairdresser for the time being due to Michael’s health deteriorating and him needing more care, after experiencing deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in his lungs. Although she only worked two days a week, it added normality and a regular routine to a life where she is
Alf watching the daily routine quiz shows, and Michael reading about the Knights Templar.
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a main caregiver. Every day is difficult for Julia, but she pushes through to try and make everyone happy and puts them first. Easter Sunday is always a day where the family get together and spend quality time. Sue and Adam, Julia’s cousin and husband, managed to bring Joan, Julia’s auntie, out of her full-time care home for the day. Joan is also a dementia sufferer who requires devoted time and care, so the whole family getting to spend time with her is a rare occasion, especially with myself and Hannah being away at university. Although a few different meals have to be made due to not everyone liking roast lamb, everyone gathers together and eats at the same time because it’s important to the family to eat together on a Sunday, even though they’re not overly religious. The Booth, Chick and Rogers household is not the most conventional family unit that you come across every day, but they do their best to make it work. Everyone puts their all into the family, and help each other whenever possible.
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Line drying.
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Alfie, aged 8.
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Henry watching Alfie play football in the garden. Alfie shuts Henry inside so he doesn’t steal the ball and pop it.
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Dishing up the Easter lamb roast.
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Alfie’s sausage & mash.
The family gathering.
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Left to right: Hannah, Henry, Julia, Susie, Adam, Joan, Alfie & Michael.
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Dinner time.
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No. 41 Photographs & text by Katie Rogers