‘There was nothing left of my Mum’ – Russ Kane’s story
Writer and award-winning broadcaster Russ Kane was well-known as ‘The Flying Eye, delivering traffic reports on the Capital FM Breakfast Show for 20 years from his ‘funny little blue plane’. Russ tragically lost his wife Sally, aged 43, to cancer in 2004. He also lost...
What to do when your loved one refuses to see the GP
It’s a common situation to be in. Your loved one may be starting to show signs of dementia but they refuse to see their GP. If you are worried about their memory and their cognitive function in general, you may have tried to talk to them and express your...
Encouraging a loved one to accept help and support
Expert advice from former dementia carer, NHS expert and medical writer Mary Jordan. Mary Jordan has first-hand experience of dementia through caring for relatives and through her work for Alzheimer’s Society. She also has many years of experience working for the...
Coping with nuisance calls
If you are caring for a loved one with dementia who lives alone, or even if you live with them but can’t be there 24/7, you may be concerned about whether others may be trying to take advantage of the person when you’re not there. My mum struggled to manage household...
What is Alzheimer’s disease?
It’s important to make the distinction between Alzheimer’s and dementia. Dementia is not a diagnosis as such. The word ‘dementia’ is an umbrella term used to describe a set of symptoms such as memory loss, difficulties with language, judgement, thinking and solving...
Christmas with a person with dementia
If you’re thinking ahead to what you’ll be doing with your family this Christmas, you may be wondering what would be best for a person with dementia. Christmas can be a challenging time for the person you are caring for and equally difficult for you as a carer. It...
Is Alzheimer’s disease genetic?
Are you worried about developing Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia in the future? If you are caring for a parent or other relative with dementia, you’ll see first-hand how devastating the condition can be. So it’s natural that, from time to time, you may feel...
Dementia and SAD: How to spot and manage the symptoms
Would you know if the person you’re caring for is suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)? Angelina Manzano reveals how to spot and ease the symptoms. As the dark nights draw in, it can often spark a case of the winter blues. However for people who suffer...