My Great Auntie Helen was the life of the party; cackling away in an armchair, drinking red wine with the rim of the glass stained by her ruby lipstick. She never married or had kids – a complete ‘rebel’ according to her – but spent her life caring for her two younger sisters and their respective hordes of children and grandchildren.
Auntie Helen appeared to change very slowly at first; a few forgotten phone calls, a missed trip to the hairdressers… Until it got to the point where she could not remember where she lived or how many sisters she had.
The dreaded ‘D’ word: Dementia. We all knew it ran in the family, but no one was ready for Auntie Helen to go that way; she was an invincible woman who seemingly was going to live forever. She tried to hide it as much as possible, refusing any outside care, determined to stay with her younger sisters in their little paradise they had created together.
But dementia is progressive and as time marched on the Auntie Helen we all knew and loved disappeared into a shell, eventually passing away warm, safe, and surrounded by family she didn’t recognise.
As this month is Alzheimer’s and Dementia Awareness month set by the Alzheimer’s Society, it got me reminiscing on what could have been done for Auntie Helen in those early stages.[1]
Whilst there is no known cure for dementia or the diseases of the brain that cause it, the Alzheimer’s Society is working tirelessly with medical professionals to discover new and innovative ways of treating and supporting those suffering with the effects.
Talking therapies, CBT, cognitive rehabilitation programmes, and cognitive stimulation therapy are just some of the non-drug treatments that can help people live well with their dementia. We were advised by the GP to make a photo album of key moments in Auntie Helen’s life and would sit with her for hours as she drifted in and out of sleep reminiscing on the good times.
There are medicated avenues as well to help moderate mood swings, sleep, or to help with general concentration. All in all, there are ways to slow or better deal with the symptoms of dementia, and they are progressing every day.
My Auntie Helen was lucky in that she was constantly surrounded by family. But with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, those with dementia are not able to access their loved ones or healthcare professionals so easily. In this time of great struggle Alzheimer’s Society is asking for donations, either monthly or singly, to help people who need it. And as they estimate that there are over 1 million people in the UK living with dementia, these donations are vital. [2]
Dementia should never be something someone has to deal with alone. Please donate here: Make a donation | Alzheimer's Society (alzheimers.org.uk).
Auntie Helen
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