Hello

I am a mother of two young children living in London with my partner. My father is in the later stages of dementia. He has both vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s and now lives in a care home.

This blog is a space for me to process what it means to navigate a parent’s dementia. Over the last few years, I’ve had so many thoughts and questions I couldn’t find reflected or answered anywhere. That is what led me to start writing.

Dementia is something that so many families go through. According to the NHS, there are more than 944,000 people in the UK who have dementia, and 1 in 11 people over the age of 65 have dementia. That means a lot of us are in the same boat – whether we’re watching a parent, another family member, or a friend navigate this reality.

I’ve always loved memoirs and personal stories. They make me feel less alone, especially in difficult times. But when my father was diagnosed, I was struck by how few personal accounts I could find about what this feels like.

Some of what I share here is difficult to read, whether you have personal experience of dementia or not. But my hope is that it offers a sense of recognition to those who need it, perhaps even comfort, or different ways of thinking about dementia.

I don’t offer medical advice – I’m not a doctor. What I share here is my own experience and the reflections it has brought up for me.

Dementia is everywhere, yet we turn away from it. It remains under-explored, even though it touches so many lives. I needed to unpack that – to bring some light to this experience.

I hope something I write resonates with you. If so, I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.