Dementia can take you by surprise. We all expect to forget things as we age but when your partner forgets where he has parked the car within half an hour of doing so, cannot locate the power meters which he has routinely checked for seventeen years, cannot access bank data on line after a lifetime in accountancy it is time to seek advice.
My husband was diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment in 2018. A brain scan the following year showed no obvious signs of deterioration but by 2021 we were given the news we had dreaded, he had early onset dementia.
Over time he lost confidence, was reluctant to answer the telephone, forgot arrangements, had no interest in television or music, holidays or social events.
In March 2022 whilst out walking he had a serious fall, knocking himself out, suffering a bleed to the brain and a fracture to one arm. This accident accelerated his condition to the point he could not be left unattended and at that stage we needed help which came rapidly and efficiently. Volunteer befrienders, Carers Resource, Dementia Forward and Alzheimer’s Society. These organisations got us through some of our darkest hours, gave my husband a level of independence and I truly believe prepared both of us for the step I had to take of finding a suitable care home for him this year.
He is now happily settled within half an hour of our house. He joins in activities, is always pleased to see me and never asks to come home. This is as good a result as I could hope for. He is content and I have a quality of life I never expected to enjoy again.
I would encourage anyone in a similar situation to plan ahead, accept available help and never assume you are alone.
Dementia is a growing disease and the fear of our generation. Research is ongoing but, in the meantime, we have to find ways to live with the knowledge that it can happen to any of us, either as a sufferer or a carer.
Are you supporting someone living with Dementia? Do want to know more about support available in Settle? Contact Dementia Forward on 03300 578592 or pop into The Place, Commercial Yard, Settle BD24 9RH or call 01729 824868 for advice and information.
