Person Centred Planning for Death

Image source: Kate Swaffer Recently, there has been an online discussion somewhere on Facebook (I can’t find it to refer to it) about what needs to go into what in Australia, we call “Advance Care Directives” (updated from Advanced since being indirectly corrected via twitter). I have had a legal will, and both a legal…

Survivors, not Victims

All people with dementia and those who are supporting us are survivors, not victims. Dementia is truly one condition that tests everyone in so many different ways. Resilience and Optimism may help, but are hard to grasp or hold onto on the bad days! We need perceptions and attitudes to change and positive discourse and…

Locked up for 3 years?!

In an article from the UK, “Vulnerable dementia patients could be locked up for three years without review under ‘rushed’ government reforms”, it seems we are in for an even bigger battle for a rights based approach than we thought! It’s very concerning human rights don’t apply to us all. This is an excerpt from…

Inspired by a film about truth

The short Vimeo I am posting below today was made by a friend and colleague in Scotland, which I found to be incredibly profound. For me, it spoke mostly about truth. But it also speaks about lies and deception, and arrogance and the lack of scrutiny. As I have become what others often tell me…

Setting up an exercise plan

I subscribe to many newsletters, possibly too many, but it is easy to delete them if they are of no interest.  This one came in today from the National Institute on Aging at the NIH, and as I am about to embark on a more disciplined exercise regime again, I thought it was useful. One…

We need to Ban BPSD before it’s too late…

The following article which is about a 5 year research project is truly terrifying, and only confirms my committment towards the need to Rethink Dementia and ban BPSD. It is thanks to Tina Minkowitz who is an attorney and psychiatric survivor in New York, and founded the Center for the Human Rights of Users and Survivors of Psychiatry, that…

Understand with your heart

The last few months, I have noticed a lot of changes in my physical and cognitive health, and have watched on as so many others are struggling with worsening or new health issues, or facing difficult personal challenges. It is worrying, and on some days, it would be so easy to give up not only…

Kindness in action

I posted this image and quote on Facebook yesterday, and received this inspiring response: “Do you know? You have just inspired me to put a $1 a day away for our local farm animal sanctuary (Greener Pastures in Waroona WA) I think $365 on the 5th of january 2020 would buy lots of weetbix for…