Dementia Awareness!
It’s Dementia Awareness Week!
Let’s talk about something that affects so many families - Dementia.
It’s more than just forgetfulness. Dementia is a group of symptoms caused by different conditions that affect the brain. Understanding and learning about the symptoms is the first step to helping those who live with it every day.
Types of Dementia:
Alzheimer’s Disease – the most common type, often involving memory loss and confusion.
Vascular Dementia – can occur after a stroke, often affects decision-making, attention, and thinking speed.
Lewy Body Dementia – includes symptoms like movement issues, sleep problems, and hallucinations.
Frontotemporal Dementia – tends to affect behaviour, personality, and language, and often appears in people under 65.
What Causes Dementia?
Dementia happens when brain cells are damaged. This can be due to:
Alzheimer’s disease (abnormal protein build-up in the brain)
Stroke or restricted blood flow to the brain (vascular issues)
Head injuries
Infections like meningitis or HIV
Genetic conditions
Lifestyle factors such as smoking, high blood pressure, poor diet, and lack of exercise
Looking after your brain health through regular physical activity, social connection, mental stimulation, and a balanced diet may reduce the risk.
Common Symptoms:
Memory loss, especially short-term
Confusion about time, place, or people
Difficulty with words, conversations, or understanding
Changes in mood or behaviour
Trouble with daily tasks, like cooking or managing money
How to Recognise the Signs:
If someone is becoming more forgetful, confused, or withdrawn, it’s worth checking in. These changes aren’t always just part of ageing. Encouraging a visit to the GP can help get a proper diagnosis and support.
How You Can Help:
You don’t need to be an expert to support someone with dementia. Often, small things make a big difference:
Be patient and give time to respond
Use simple, clear language
Keep routines familiar
Use notes, reminders, or labels to help with memory
Avoid correcting or arguing; gently redirect instead
Be there – offer kindness, humour, and reassurance
Dementia can be challenging, but no one has to face it alone. Let’s spread awareness, support one another, and break the stigma.
Have you supported someone with dementia?
What helped you?
Feel free to share your thoughts and tips.
Written as part of the Disability Support Community Articles. More can be found here
If you have a condition or 'Awareness Campaign' that you feel we should recognise please message either myself @MistyMagic (teens and adults) or @AffyAvo (adults)
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@MistyMagic
both our mom and dad have dementia. with mom it part of her Parkinson that she has and is getting worst. she no longer talk on phone much at all. seeing that only way we communicated with her and dad it hard. now dad is a lot different as his mood and actions have changed a lot. both them have memory lost. at times mom thinks us kids still young and well say things related to that. dad will forget things a lot. like can call him in morning say something he not remember you telling it to him. they both in early 80's. we not live close to them due to abuse. but still talk to them some.
we also have memory issues and other things that could be seen as dementia. our is related to chronic traumatic brain injury, it getting worst as we get older. so glad you posted about this as it effects many people.
@stormieandpaws thank you for sharing that with us. You are right it does affect a lot of people and in many different ways too. It sounds like you are figuring things out.
What are your top tips?
I could never understand how my Dad could relate accurately things that happened when we were kids or when he was at work but couldn't remember that he already called me that morning.
@MistyMagic
we would say to just remember it not their fault and they doing best they can. to not fight with them over things you said before and that they not remember.
for us with the memory issues we have at times we write notes to self about important things.
another one is to allow and listen to their stories from the past. many times it were their mind is seeing they can not remember things that happened today.
@MistyMagic. I’m living with someone with dementia. I’m learning not to argue and correct them like was mentioned. I do some breathing meditations when I get anxious about it.
@adventurousBranch3786 thanks for sharing, it can be very frustrating can't it. I'm glad you are using breathing and also what about counting to 5 or 10! I find that used to help too.
@MistyMagic
Not being recognised by your nan, a family member who was the only one to save whatever she could to take you on a holiday to a caravan. The one you’d love staying over on the weekends watching father Ted and Graham Norton, sleeping on the sofa. Only one who literally never got angry at you.
then not recognising your Nan, twists the knife. she’s there but it’s not her anymore.
i miss her
@LabeledBPD it is such a painful disease for those who are watching the decline. I am so sorry about your Nan, she sounds very special