Worrying is normal for the person living alongside a person with dementia, and as a family care partner or support person for a few people who have died from dementia I understand too well how difficult it is not to worry. When you love someone, and they are sick or troubled, not only do you…
Eat. Play. Love. Conference October 2, 2015 National Wine Centre, Adelaide, South Australia Have you ever stopped to think about what dignity means to you? And then reflected on how we ensure we are providing dignity to those we care for? Dignity in Care Australia was launched in 2011 by a small team of passionate…
I’ve been feeling really overwhelmed, and in fact, like giving up blogging, FB, twitter and all of my advocacy. As usual, if one shuts up long enough to listen, the universe supports, and today I received some very sage advice: “… honestly sometimes I think that with people with dementia that unless you give them specific things to complete,…
This is not rocket science, and the organisations promoting the dementia friends messages and campaigns, need to start within so they are walking their own talk. There is not need to ‘sign up’ to anything, just start… Take baby steps. They are not expensive and in fact, many cost no money at all, but they can make a…
One of the myths of dementia is that people diagnosed with it can’t live well after the diagnosis, and the concept of maintaining a pre diagnosis life is not possible. However, ADI’s Global Charter states: I can live well with dementia. But the problem with that, is nobody, no organisations, no service providers, no doctors, no…
Thank you Mick Carmody for inspiring me today with this wonderful poem, Inability to ACT. After hosting and contributing at the online Tribute to Richard Taylor today, I am too emotionally exhausted to publish anything of my own, and this poem, which I know was a tribute to Richard, says it all for me today. This is…
Australia, and many other countries have until recently had no national guidelines for the post diagnostic support of people with dementia, which I see as more than a failing, but as unethical. However it is encouraging to be able to report that the national clinical guidelines recently drafted went out to the public for comment before they are to be finalised, hopefully by…
This quote by Danny Miller is one of my favourites, and is also used in the header of a blog I follow, The PPJ Gazette. This article although nor specifically discussing the dangers of the use of anti psychotics in dementia care, warns very clearly of the dangers of prescribing them, and is worth a…
Just for something different, I am interstate doing a few things related to dementia. This view from my motel room in Gosford today is glorious, although for most of the rest of today I’ll be hanging out in the local RSL club. As a guest in the motel of this club, I was even offered a…
Dementia Alliance International is hosting an online memorial event as part of their A Meeting of The Minds series, Tribute to Richard Taylor PhD. Please join us in remembering Richard. DATE: Wednesday, August 19, 2015 (USA, Canada, UK, Europe) and Thursday, August 20, 2015 (Australia, NZ). Register here… Guest speakers: Mr Glenn Rees, AM, Chair, Alzheimer’s Disease International…
Yesterday I was invited to give a presentation at the Better Practice Adelaide 2015 conference held at the Hilton Hotel, and most of the time now when I present, I also always represent Dementia Alliance International in some way. The theme of this event was Quality – Through the looking glass: What’s new in 2015. One…
Hello. The blog A Manifesto For Radical Inclusion written by Dr Al Power on ChangingAging has a taste of Richard Taylor in it. The gloves are no longer hanging on the wall of the gym, they are coming off, all around the world. As Al mentioned last week, Richard once sent him an email saying, “Welcome. I’ve been…
There has been a national outcry by most Australians over the booing of Adam Goodes, the current Australian of The Year, and an elite Indigenous Swans AFL football player. I totally agree with it, and find the booing of anyone, at any level, for any reason in sport, or anywhere, is unacceptable. In my opinion,…
I have learned a lot of lessons in my life, with many to learn I am sure, but perhaps none so important as this one from knowing Richard Taylor. Mostly, Richard taught me to live beyond the diagnosis of dementia; stop crying, dismiss the PLOM (Poor Little Old Me) disease I had after the diagnosis, and to…
Some time ago, I published the Foreword written by Dr Richard Taylor for my book, What the hell happened to my brain?, due out later this year. He also recorded a video of it, which I played at the pre release event held jointly with Shibley Rahman in London. I feel very honoured and proud to…
You must be logged in to post a comment.