I’ve been thinking about a few simple mantras or tips to improve aged and dementia care, and would love for others to add to the list, or improve on these tips or make other suggestions. It is easy to believe we are providing good care, but not so easy to listen to feedback that says…
As it is Sunday, and I had a late night attending the wedding of two very special young friends, I thought I’d add one of the readings from their wedding, which I found deeply moving and personally very meaningful. It is from Captain Correllis Mandolin, by Louis Bernieres. “Love is a temporary madness. It erupts…
A sense of loneliness So deep It takes my breath away Reminding me of those departed Lingering inside my heart Lost to the stigma of dementia Tales of despair Whisperings of days gone by Deteriorating abilities Sadness sitting just inside my soul Yearning for my loss of self Footnote: Through this blog, and other social…
Next week, Dementia Alliance International is hosting its first Café Le Brain, an online Memory Café on Wednesday October 22 from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM (ACDT). Whilst not all people with dementia experience memory loss, we will not be focussed on dementia, but on sharing, having fun and supporting each other. Please make this “First…
It seems this might be the simplest communication tip there is, not just for being and communicating with people with dementia, but for being and communicating with everyone. It is a very good lesson, and one I am glad I was reminded of yesterday. So whenever you feel like treating someone badly, or unkindly, or…
Christmas is not that far away, and as I was counting the sleeps until a trip we have booked in June next year, I also started to think about it, as well as count down the days… and it is less than 70 days until Christmas 2014! I used to really dislike Christmas, as there…
This was sent to me by a dear friend Shibley, whose letter I blogged yesterday, and who obviously realises now that I am spending a lot of time on aeroplanes, how much stress I am under without access to wifi!!!I It is clear the Five Stages of Grief that occur when the aeroplane doesn’t have…
The World Dementia Council meets this week, without anyone living with a diagnosis of dementia, or any family carers, invited to be a part of this event. Yesterday I received an open letter (via email) from Dr Shibley Rahman, personal friend, colleague and academic in dementia from the UK, regarding the ‘World Dementia Council‘. I…
The Intouchables is a 2011 French comedy-drama film directed by Olivier Nakache and Éric Toledano. It stars François Cluzet and Omar Sy, and is a deeply moving movie, filled with many tender but also humourous moments. It is truly one of the most unique and beautiful friendships I have seen in a movie, ensuring I…
Since social media has taken over most of the world, the issue of plagiarism has become a big one. When I first started blogging, I didn’t think about the consequences, good or bad, of being in a public space. I regularly see words I have used being #hashtagged and used on twitter by others as…
Golden sand and rolling waves Gentle white caps Serene and peaceful No sign of the waves of tomorrow Waves that shoot for the sky Tossing surfers and surf boards Into the depths of currents Downwards Into sand and seaweed Signs of golden sand And rolling waves All but forgotten
The following is a more comprehensive version of the Alzheimer’s Australia Dementia Language Guidelines 2014. I have uploaded it as a pdf Alzheimer’s Australia full language guidelines 2014 and included each page as an image below. I feel like people with dementia have worked hard to be heard, Alzheimer’s Australia have really listened, and together…
September this year was a very busy one. There were lots of highs and a few lows, and even a couple of things I’d rather forget! The events hosted by Dementia Alliance International including the four Master Classes and two Webinars were well received, and also helped us evaluate the value of such events. As…
It seems my day for humour is back, although not on a Tuesday, at least for now. I’ve been less than focused this year on publishing a daily blog, although did make a run for it during Dementia Awareness Month 2014, missing, only one day. I really miss the process of writing every day, although…
Today I have had the honour of having presented “The Power of Language” at a Symposium in Perth, Western Australia. The full program is here Dementia Partnership Project Programme_The ME in Dementia. I have often referenced the invited international guest speaker Dawn Brooker in my writings, and so am delighted to have now had the…
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