Glenn Campbell has not allowed Alzheimer’s Disease to stop him from living his pre-diagnosis life. His wife Kim and family have supported and enabled him to continue singing and recording, and Glenn is living well with dementia. His wife Kim said that his doctors are convinced his continuing to be physically active and remaining meaningfully…
Last year I joined Quora a really interesting site with conversations about many things, including life in general. I really liked the analogy made between playing Chess and Life by Joe Blitzstein Professor in the Harvard Statistics Department. He has been playing chess for 25 years (his US Chess Federation Rating is about 2100, about midway through the…
The University of Tasmania’s second Massive Open Online Course (MOOC), Understanding Dementia, is a 9-week online course that builds upon the latest in international research on dementia. It’s free and anyone can register. Many readers of this blog undertook the course, and found it incredibly valuable. Not just people working in the field, but consumers with…
Media release Advance care planning (ACP) is the process of a person thinking about and communicating to others their values and wishes about possible future care at a time when they still have capacity. ACP is relevant for everyone in the community, but especially for people with chronic health conditions or at risk of losing…
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world – indeed it is the only thing that ever does” Margaret Meade The Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI) conference in London in 2012 is where I met with this group of truly amazing people with dementia, all advocating in their own countries. It…
I’m in pain today and not functioning or paddling as well as usual so am posting this link to an article about friends of ours in Scotland. It is a very interesting read, and it still horrifies me to think pain has been ignored for so long in the care of people with dementia. How dementia…
I am currently wrestling with a deep sense of loneliness. In my search for wisdom, I have just re-read a Wakley Prize Essay, Dr Ishani Kar-Purkayastha’s moving essay An epidemic of loneliness and it was a timely reminder of the problems most recalcitrant to our research based and outcome-driven health care providers. Loneliness involves both social and emotional components…
Diagnosed with dementia So much ‘suffering’ Sometimes my darling husband sits Holding his head in his hands Sad and tearful Watching the changes in his wife Caused by the symptoms of dementia And as I’m becoming less aware Increasingly less insightful Less frustrated Perhaps not ‘suffering’ at all My beloved husband Sits on the sidelines Watching my abilities slowly…
The case of the stolen Mango Not even heard of by many Aussies Perhaps a prank to highlight it It even caught the attention Of dear Shibley My #nolongeranimaginaryfriend Who writes and blogs prolifically And said he wrote the Mango blog for me Though I’m not sure why He tweets @legalaware And whilst it has not been good for some We…
On the weekend, I watched an English program called ‘Wallander’, one we’ve seen previously, that is playing again on Foxtel. The challenge of TV entertainment in this house, especially for my darling husband, is we’ve seen many things before, and although some have an odd scene that I recognise, or a vague familiarity, many times they…
In November 2012 I received this in an email from a friend with dementia: “Hi all, I have a huge problem with names, is there any way that a thumbnail could accompany emails so I know who I’m talking with?” In my list of contacts, and apart from me, the only person to have done…
This morning my husband and I discussed a few incidents or D-moments that have taken place the last few weeks, which have really knocked him out of his denial bubble. He has subsequently been a little down in the dumps, as he is forced to face what is ahead. Thankfully last night he went out with three mates for their monthly…
Watch this Flash mob rendition of Ravel’s Bolero, and thanks to Keith Oliver for sharing it with me. Published on YouTube Feb 10, 2013: The Queensland Symphony Orchestra surprises a curious and enthusiastic crowd with a guerrilla-style performance of Ravel’s Bolero in Brisbane’s South Bank. The Orchestra relocated to the city’s cultural hub in December…
Keith honoured for work despite onset of dementia By Canterbury Times, Thursday, May 02, 2013 “A FORMER primary school head teacher who was forced to step down through early onset dementia has won an award for inspiring others with the condition. Keith Oliver, from Canterbury, won Volunteer of the Year at a ceremony hosted by…
The last twelve months have been full of some exciting adventures, a few major challenges, the birth of a couple of ‘babies’ of mine, some significant losses and quite a lot of grief. It has also been a time spent with family, and trips overseas and interstate for friends, family and advocacy work. We cannot go back to it…
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