My dear late aunt who I miss every minute of every day taught me not to hate anything, but I have taken that to mean people today, not ‘cognitive capacity’ because… I hate not being able to spell any more (I used to get 99.5-100% in spelling tests) I hate not understanding words, and every…
It remains a high priority of mine, hence I have been campaigning for the deinstitutionalisation and de-segregation of people with any type of dementia of any age, and in fact, anyone of any age living in residential care for many years. This includes ‘memory units’ and ‘dementia villages’. Although two of the following Transforming Communities…
Whilst I was proud to receive a University of South Australia Alumni Award recently, I still always wonder why. The inceasing level of activism, and the voluntary work and research (sometimes even paid!) that I have been doing since being diagnosed with a rare young onset dementia 13 years ago, and since co-founding Dementia Allaince…
It is September, which in the world of dementia advocacy, is referred to as World Alzheimer’s Month or Dementia Awareness Month (DAM), or even World Dementia Month. This name change has come about, to ensure inclusion of those who do not have a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, but some other kind of dementia. It is…
Since my own diagnosis of a younger onset dementia 13 years ago, I continue to be disturbed by the lack of recognition of dementia as a disability and lack of proactive support to live with dementia. People newly diagnosed with dementia already have their hope taken away at the time of diagnosis, so to have…
In June 2019, Dementia Alliance International, held the first Side Event at the Conference of State Parties (CoSP) on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) ever to be hosted specifically focused on dementia as a major cause disability, and our rights under the CRPD. This is important in the context of brain health.…
The Titanic sadly, but very famously sank, and there was no stopping it, with many people losing their lives! History.com says: “The luxury steamship RMS Titanic sank in the early hours of April 15, 1912, off the coast of Newfoundland in the North Atlantic after sideswiping an iceberg during its maiden voyage. Of the 2,240…
As it is still Brain Health Awareness Month, the focus of my blogs contnues to be on brain health! A colleague I’ve posted about before, and possibly on my (now inactive) Living Beyond Dementia™ website, Dr Dave Jenkins, a general practitioner who has been working in this field for many years now, also with positive…
Over the last decade or so, organisations, large charities, businesses, even the World Health Organisation, as well as many local councils and governments have been saying they support and promote inclusive communities for everyone. Some go as far as saying they provide training for them. In the dementia sector they are referred to as Dementia…
As part of Brain Health Awareness Month, I wanted to focus most of the blogs here to share strategies, even some recipes and books or articles that support living beyond dementia. In fact, I have a website called Living Beyond Dementia™, although it is now set to private as I am not able to manage…
I’ve become increasingly frustrated that academics, service providers, advocacy organisations, dementia consultants and health care professionals refuse to include in their work, and therefore our services, that dementia is a major cause of disability and dependence globally (WHO). A few others are starting to feel my pain, and Daniela Greenwood today made a comment to…
Last week, I was pleased to be invited by the University of South Australia Chancellor Pauline Carr to attend the Adelaide International Women’s Day Breakfast, #IWD2021 highlighting women’s leadership this year. The MC was the wonderful Sonya Feldhoff from ABC Radio Adelaide, and guest speakers included Senator the Hon Penny Wong, Leader of the Opposition…
This week has me deeply disturbed, angry, sad and yesterday, even tearful about quite a few things, none of which are personal matters, even though some who read this will already know I do have a few serious personal issues to be worried about at the moment too! But, onto one of the reasons I…
Over the last 20 something years, we have had no less than 21 formal reports or inquiries onto the challenges we have been facing in Australia of poor care in aged care, to the point, these facilities should not have the word ‘care’ in their names! Today, this culminates in the final report of the…
A fellow activist and dear friend of mine from from Germany attempted to comment on one of my recent blogs about the lack of services or tangible change for people with dementia and their care partners and/or families. Unfortunately she had trouble getting the comments posted, so sent them privately, and with her permission I’ve…
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