Tag: Dementia
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Why we need to stop turning away from dementia
I reflect on turning 40 and my father’s struggle with dementia, emphasising societal stigmas surrounding the condition. I critique the politicisation of dementia and advocate for greater understanding and inclusion of those affected. There are enduring connections beyond memory loss, and we need more empathy and community support.
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He’s in a care home now
I reflect on the challenges of placing a loved one with dementia in a care home after a lengthy hospital stay. Although initially heartbroken, I recognise the comfort my father feels there despite the emotional pain of separation. This difficult reality seems particularly hard to accept at Christmas.
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Books about a parent with dementia
I was surprised when I realised how few books or blogs I could find that reflected the experience of what it is to have a parent with dementia. Here are three books that brought me a better understanding of what has been happening and made me feel less alone.
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Visiting hours: going to see my father when he was in hospital last summer
I wrote this last summer when my father was in hospital after a fall. He couldn’t come home because he kept trying to pull off the neck brace he had to wear, so he ended up spending months there until we managed to get him into a care home.
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Falling: thoughts on my father’s birthday
I wrote this on my father’s birthday in May 2024. I went to visit him in the hospital after he had a fall and was struck by memories of giving birth in the same building. I reflect on how amazing the nurses and the NHS are.
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The sandwich generation: between young children and a father with dementia
I reflect on my father’s dementia, how it happened gradually and then suddenly. This is a post I wrote about a year ago, when he was still living at home and my son hadn’t started school yet. I felt trapped between caring responsibilities for my children and father.
dementia in the family 