Hold the Moment

Janet always wanted to be a writer, but life got in the way, until a diagnosis of  Alzheimer’s disease changed everything. 

Janet began writing again, and it’s become a source of silence, self-reflection and even a means of preserving her brain health for as long as possible. Now, she’s running writing workshops for other people living with dementia, including people who were dragged along at first but came to the...

Future Planning means thinking ahead about care, comfort and the kind of support you want as dementia progresses.

In our Ask Us Anything episodes, you send us your questions about living with dementia and we’ll answer them as honestly as we can. Nothing is off limits here! 

We discuss ways we can empower carers to share their insights as they advocate for their loved ones in palliative care.

If you’d like...

Betsy had no idea that the end of life could be so... peaceful. Her husband, Peter, lived with young onset Alzheimer’s disease, and the pair of them didn’t want to even think about the end of his life when he was diagnosed.

But as Peter’s condition worsened, he made his desires clear: he wanted to stay at home for as long as possible, and he didn't want his life prolonged when quality was compromised.

When they mo...

Making decisions is part of staying independent, but dementia can make that a challenge at times. Supported decision making can help people stay in control with guidance and respect.

In our Ask Us Anything episodes, you send us your questions about living with dementia and we’ll answer them as honestly as we can. Nothing is off limits here!

We explore how to manage overwhelming medical appointments and put supported...

Ann is fiercely independent and has spent many years working in health and advocating for people living with dementia. Since her own diagnosis, that work has taken on a new dimension: figuring out what it means to keep making decisions for herself.

Her husband Timothy is learning alongside her. The balance they've struck is constant and shifting.

"There'll be days where I'm wearing different earrings, and Timothy will say, 'Do you ...

Childhood dementia is something few have heard of, and even fewer understand. But for the families facing it every moment matters. 

In our Ask Us Anything episodes, you send us your questions about living with dementia and we’ll answer them as honestly as we can. Nothing is off limits here!

We shine a light on what happens after a diagnosis and how we can better support the families living w...

Isolation can be a common experience when living with dementia or caring for a loved one. If the people around you don’t understand dementia, they might withdraw, they might not know how to be there for you... This experience is amplified for families faced with childhood dementia.

Yes, even children live with dementia. ‘Childhood dementia’ is an umbrella term for more than 100 rare genetic disorders that 1 in eve...

The need for love, touch, and closeness doesn’t disappear when dementia enters our lives - but how affection is experienced and expressed can change.

In our Ask Us Anything episodes, you send us your questions about living with dementia and we’ll answer them as honestly as we can. Nothing is off limits here!

We explore consent after a dementia diagnosis and provide practical advice for partners and families na...

When Karen was diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia, she and her husband Jonathan knew their relationship would change. What surprised them was how. "It’s just made us more tender and gentle," Karen says.   

They've become more mindful, more aware of each other's needs, and they're having conversations they never expected to have, including about consent as things evolve.   

When you hear “dementia and i...

If you’re on North Wollongong Beach in New South Wales around sunrise, you’ll probably see David with his camera. After his daily morning swim, he likes to take photos of the sunrise – whenever he meets someone with young children, he offers to send them photos.

“This is the sunrise on the first day of your life,” he tells them to write under the pictures.

David was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s dis...

Community can make all the difference when dementia enters a family. From practical help to emotional support, there are so many ways that people can stay connected.

In our Ask Us Anything episodes, you send us your questions about living with dementia and we’ll answer them as honestly as we can. Nothing is off limits here! 

We give advice on supporting people with dementia in public spaces, and ways to connect with other peo...

Deanne’s seen it all – with more than 25 years’ experience in banking under her belt, she has encountered customers who have been coerced out of their own money by friends, family members and even strangers. She says it’s even more common for people living with dementia.

But when Deanne’s own father was diagnosed with dementia, the issue of financial vulnerability took an even more personal dimens...

Managing money is tricky for anyone, and dementia can make it even harder. So what are the best ways to keep control and make informed choices around our finances?

In our Ask Us Anything episodes, you send us your questions about living with dementia and we’ll answer them as honestly as we can. Nothing is off limits here!

We discuss putting the right supports in place, and what to do if you&rsquo...

When Louise’s husband was diagnosed with young onset Alzheimer’s disease, she knew the day would come. What she didn’t expect was how hard it would be to find a place that could actually take him.

For Susan, the challenge was different. Her Italian-born father rarely spoke about his wartime childhood. But in residential care, something as simple as a uniform could transport him back decades in an instant.

Moving i...

Moving into residential care is never an easy decision, but it's about finding support, safety and dignity along the way.

In our Ask Us Anything episodes, you send us your questions about living with dementia and we’ll answer them as honestly as we can. Nothing is off limits here!

We discuss how to navigate daily routines when your loved one stops wanting to shower, and residential care for people with young onset dementia.

...

Tully was only 15 when her mother was diagnosed with young onset dementia. She figured nobody at school would understand.

John’s experience has, thankfully, been quite different. He’s 25 now, and cares for his grandmother who lives with dementia. Caring for her has been so rewarding for him that he’s now a professional support worker and studying to be a counsellor.

Caring for a loved one living with dementia alwa...

Caring for a parent with dementia in your teens,  20s or 30s brings challenges most people don’t see.

In our Ask Us Anything episodes, you send us your questions about living with dementia and we’ll answer them as honestly as we can. Nothing is off limits here!

We examine the pressures young carers face and share advice on managing the juggle.

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ABOUT THIS EPISODE

This ‘Ask Us Anything’ episode...

If dementia alters how you express yourself, what you like, even how your senses work... what does it really mean to still be yourself after a diagnosis?

Gwenda’s been living with behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia since 2012, and yes, a lot has changed. Her sense of smell is different now. She’s recently moved into a residential aged care community. She lives day-to-day with a progressive neurological conditio...

As dementia progresses, the way people express themselves can change, sometimes in subtle ways and sometimes more dramatically.  

In our Ask Us Anything episodes, you send us your questions about living with dementia and we’ll answer them as honestly as we can. Nothing is off limits here!  

We offer practical and compassionate strategies for people struggling with evening routines, and for when a...