Later today, there is to be a Twitter chat about Language and dementia, so if you want to join us use the hashtag #demphd and you’ll find me tweeting as @KateSwaffer plus you might find @DementiaAlliance and many others getting involved. The debate on language is usually rather robust, and it will be a good lead in…
The topic of sex and dementia is one I have been thinking about writing on for some time, and now seems the right time to post something about it. Many have written and talked about people with dementia and sexuality, including writing articles and books about it, but so far, I have not found very…
The road of advocacy and self advocacy is a really tough one, especially as most often, to have become an advocate, you must have become part of a marginalised group that is being discriminated against, or speaking out on behalf of someone who is being treated badly. This means, of course, you often make quite…
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…
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…
Today is Day 28 of my National Poem Writing Month challenge, and I have managed to write a haiku each day, often using an image to spark my imagination. Todays poem is called Alone and has me thinking more about loneliness, dementia and dying. I’m not so sure the loneliness is any worse than when you are facing…
Treating symptoms in the early stages of dementia, as the gateway to supporting disabilities, not managing them in ways that restrict and hinder, and managing emotional changes with counselling and positive engagement, rather than treating the symptoms with drugs, have become paramount to my well being and perceived longevity. If the symptoms of dementia were…
lib·er·a·tion (l b -r sh n). n. 1. The act of liberating or the state of being liberated. 2. The act or process of trying to achieve equal rights and status. My computer and internet access are more important to me than just staying connected. This connectedness helps to make up for the lost friendships, the loss…
Some days seems just like this… every way you turn, someone or something seems to be holding you back. It’s probably quite rare that the ginger cat pictured here, is happening to you. We are usually the only ‘thing’ that is holding us back from achieving our dreams, from being contented and happy, from having good…
Talking eventually becomes an embarrassment or humiliation for a person with dementia. I am finding this now; if I’ve committed to an event or forum, as I get tired, my words start getting jumbled, or the word finding gets worse. The more formal part is easier, as I always refer to notes, but the question time or other…
November is the month for National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo and I bravely (stupidly??!!) signed up to give it another go this year. I am way behind the 1600 words per day they suggest you write to keep up, but if I get all my other writing finished by the middle of next week, I’ll…
Yesterday in a practice session of one of the interviewing techniques of Narrative Therapy, I was interviewed about a recent problem in my life. I elected to discuss the impact of losing my driver’s license, and unearthed a mini maelstrom of feelings I had not given much thought to previously. I’d thought the emotional burden…
There are many negative things that happen after a diagnosis of dementia, and many that are ongoing challenges and changes, but for me the most difficult ongoing ones to live with are the isolation and loneliness. So many friends slip away after finding out you have dementia, not because they are bad people, but because…
One online friend has asked me to explore and write about older people not wanting to accept a diagnosis of dementia, and how they often don’t want to talk about it or involve themselves and their families in this new world. Many older people I know won’t even talk to their doctors about their memory loss…
People with dementia face an identity crisis – who am I – who will I become? One major fear is the loss of self associated with dementia, and we face an existential crisis of identity. Our sense of self is shattered with this new label of dementia. Who am I, if I can no longer…
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