Hold the Moment

Vicki’s pain wasn’t going away and she couldn’t figure out why.

She was healthy, ate well, exercised regularly...but the pain just wouldn’t let up, even keeping her from sleeping sometimes.

Finally, she realised it might be the culmination of years of stress. She’d cared for her husband, Michael, for over a decade and he’d only just transitioned into permanent residential care. 

For the first time, she felt relief – but her body wa...

Managing paid work and caring for your loved one with dementia is a delicate juggling act, with many balls in the air at a time. While it’s tricky to keep from dropping any, it doesn’t always have to be an either/or decision between caregiving and your career.

This episode will give you practical strategies for approaching your employer and finding ways to balance both roles without losing yourself in the process.

If you’d like per...

If you’re caring for someone living with dementia, you know it can take just as much work as any formal job... but many carers need to continue paid work while caring. So how do you manage that juggle?

Wendy loves her work, especially the intellectual challenges it presents, so didn’t want to give up her career when she took on caring duties for her dad. Instead, she moved to part-time employment so she could have more flexibility ...

Caring for someone with dementia means you’re constantly learning—how to navigate healthcare, manage family dynamics and balance work with caregiving. You quickly become an expert in so many areas, often without realising it. 

But how do you share that wisdom with others? And what happens to all that knowledge once your loved one passes? 

Sharing your experiences with other carers can be incredibly valuable, not just for them but f...

Caring for someone living with dementia requires you to learn so much so quickly. From navigating a complex healthcare system, to managing family dynamics, to balancing caring duties with paid work – you’ll have to become an expert in a lot of areas very fast.  

But what do you do with all that knowledge after the person you cared for passes away?  

Miriam’s mum lived with dementia and, in her community in the Northern Territory, t...

People often think of grief as sadness felt when a loved one passes away. But grief can surface at many stages of caring for someone living with dementia, often in ways that you don’t expect.  

There are ways to care for yourself, find comfort and reconnect with what brings you happiness. This episode offers simple, practical ways to process those emotions while still embracing joy, connection and the things that make you feel like...

Jenny started grieving well before her husband passed away.  

After Noel was diagnosed with dementia, Jenny knew their life together would never be the same. But the grief she felt about that gave her strength and purpose too... 

Grief will be a major part of your journey if you’re caring for someone living with dementia. You might grieve the relationship you had before their diagnosis and you might be grieving after the person you...

Navigating the healthcare system on behalf of someone living with dementia can be challenging, especially when the different systems you’re engaging with don’t speak to each other. This episode offers simple tips to streamline the process.  

If you’d like personalised support on how to approach appointments or figure out the health care systems, you can contact the National Dementia Helpline on 1800 100 500. You can call 24 hours a...

Nick’s in a pretty unique position as a carer.  

“I can’t fix the problem with my mum but as an engineer, I can problem-solve. I can advocate for her and give her a voice when she can’t navigate the system,” Nick said. 

As an engineer, Nick’s used to untangling complex systems. He’s about as tech-savvy as they come but even he found it frustrating trying to access support for his mum, who’s living with Alzheimer’s disease.    

Deme...

Whether you're new to caring or have been supporting someone with dementia for a while, it’s not always clear where to turn to for help. Every carer’s path is different, but you don’t have to figure it out alone. This episode offers straightforward advice on where to get help, what support services are available and why it’s never too early to reach out.

If you’d like tailored support, you can contact the National Dementia Helpline...

Rachel Corbett couldn’t afford to put her life on hold, even when her mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. She was in her 20s, her career wasn’t established and she wanted to have kids, so spent the next few years looking after her mum while juggling everything else in life.

Then her dad was diagnosed with Lewy body dementia.

Rachel would go on to spend her 30s supporting and caring for her parents.

“I did have a difficul...

"As carers of people living with dementia, we all have a public face and a private face."

When someone you love is diagnosed with dementia there’s a lot you take on – physically, mentally and emotionally. So how do you even start to process all these changes?

On Hold the Moment, you’re not alone. Join Jim, who was diagnosed with younger-onset Alzheimer’s, and his co-host Hamish Macdonald, whose dad lived with Parkinson’s and Lewy b...

Over the last few months, the Hold the Moment team has been hard at work...

Your response to our first season was incredible, and luckily you won’t have to wait long for more episodes.

Hamish and Jim are back for a quick announcement. 

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Hold the Moment is a podcast from Dementia Australia, produced by Deadset Studios and hosted by Jim Rogers and Hamish Macdonald. Follow Dementia Australia on Instagram and find support resources...

A dementia diagnosis has a ripple effect across families. So where can you turn for information and support? 

This bonus episode is packed with tips for families who want to know more about how to support themselves and a family member living with dementia. 

Whether you live close to your loved one or further afield, Dementia Australia has many helpful resources and programs specially tailored to family members of any age, includin...

When Millie Rogers first discovered her dad, Jim Rogers (co-host of Hold the Moment), had received a diagnosis of younger onset dementia, she felt like a rug had been pulled from beneath her feet.  

“I just froze. I just couldn’t believe what he was saying.” 

In this candid episode, Millie and her sister Daisy open up to journalist Hamish Macdonald about the initial shock of the diagnosis, Jim’s role as a grandfather to their young...

If you’re looking for new ways to get around town or travel further afield with a dementia diagnosis, this episode is full of tips and resources on how you can do just that.  

If you’d like tailored support on travelling with dementia, you can contact the National Dementia Helpline on 1800 100 500. You can call 24 hours a day or request a callback, start a webchat or send an email with whatever is on your mind. You can also find so...

Jim Rogers was once ‘captain organised’ when planning overseas trips with his husband Tyler. But after his diagnosis of younger onset dementia, he’s learnt to get Tyler to assist with online check-in, packing and itinerary planning.  

And it’s not just setting off overseas that’s changed. Getting around town has become trickier now that Jim’s lost his driver’s licence.  

Like Jim, Juanita wishes she could zip over to the shops to d...

Getting a restful night’s sleep when you’re living with dementia can be an elusive task. This episode contains tips on managing your changing sleep patterns.

If you’d like tailored support to tackle sleep issues, you can contact the National Dementia Helpline on 1800 100 500. You can call 24 hours a day or request a callback, start a webchat or send an email.

Dementia Australia has plenty of resources relating to sleep on its websi...

Ann, a former nurse, struggles to sleep because of the symptoms of her Lewy body dementia. Most nights, Ann experiences intense, multi-sensory hallucinations.  

Meanwhile, Jim Rogers takes us through some of the long nights he’s experienced since his diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease.  

Sleep is vital to both mental and physical health, and it’s disrupted for many people living with dementia. Associate Professor Stephanie Rainey-Smi...