Discovering Dementia

The Alzheimer’s Society’s latest campaign in the UK is called The Long Goodbye. It centres around the potential feelings of grief and loss that it says both carers and those living with dementia can feel through the course of the disease. Penny explores what this means and talks to carers Ame Chauhan and Candy Morris to hear their stories. She also speaks to Marion Child from the Alzheimer’s Socie...

Fundraiser extraordinaire Manny Singh Kang is a Volunteer Ambassador for Dementia UK. He's also a Wolverhampton Wanderers football fan who launched and now runs a popular samosa stand at home games, through which he's raised thousands for charities. As you'll hear, he's also inspired many people along the way. The Samosa Saturday event featured here raised an incredible £6567.94 for Dementia UK. L...

Discovering Dementia is back for Series 3. Penny Bell gives an update on her plans to share more dementia stories with you. This award-winning podcast began when Penny's mum was diagnosed with dementia. They have been documenting their journey together and sharing what they discover in the hope that it would help others. This series will be a little different for Penny. Her mum's dementia has prog...

In her role at Alzheimer's Society, Kelly Inwood manages a team of people who work directly with those affected by dementia. She sees on a daily basis the importance of the help the Society can offer. That is why she supports the Memory Walk, a series of 24 sponsored walks across the country, aimed to raise funds for research, services and to give hope to people living with dementia now. To find o...

In the first episode of this mini series, Helen Pike generously shares her story, talking about caring for her husband Geoff, who has a form of dementia called Primary Progressive Aphasia. She also shares her experience of Memory Walk, which she and Geoff did together last year. Memory Walk is a series of sponsored walks held in September and October across the UK by the Alzheimer's Society. It's...

This Autumn, thousands of people are signing up for free to do an Alzheimer's Society Memory Walk. The sponsored walks raise money which will go towards supporting those affected by dementia. But who are the people behind that support? Dementia Adviser, Charlotte Murray, tell us about her work for Alzheimer's Society and explains what she does in her role. The Memory Walk brings together people wh...

In the last of this mini series of seasonal interviews, Brian Gamble, a Volunteer Ambassador for Dementia UK, talks about how important it is to share as much information as possible on dementia, particularly on things that can affect finances, from the very start, as soon as a diagnosis is made. He also shares some of the things that worked for him and his late wife when it came to celebrating Ch...

In this mini series of seasonal interviews, we hear from dementia organisations and others with their own stories and tips on how best to manage celebrations like Christmas. Maureen Winfield has first hand experience of dementia, after spending many years caring for her late husband, Michael. She generously shares what she has learnt and how she has approached Christmas. She also talks about her r...

In this mini series of seasonal interviews, we hear from dementia organisations and others with their own stories and tips on how best to manage celebrations like Christmas. Caring for someone living with dementia can mean you sometimes find yourself in situations where you’re not sure of what to say, or how best to respond. How you react can make all the difference. Adria Thompson, from Be Light...

In this mini series of seasonal interviews, we hear from dementia organisations and others with their own stories and tips on how best to manage celebrations like Christmas. Dementia UK is a specialist dementia nurse charity, providing support to families affected by all forms of dementia. Their nurses are known as Admiral Nurses. Rachael Webb works as an Admiral Nurse and joins Penny to talk abou...

In this mini series of seasonal interviews, we hear from dementia organisations and others with their own stories and tips on how best to manage celebrations like Christmas. Sue Hinds is Head of Services at Dementia Carers Count, a national charity that supports family and friends looking after someone with dementia. It provides short courses, telephone support and lots of information online that...

What is Discovering Dementia and how did it all start? To mark Dementia Action Week, Penny outlines the origins of the podcast and why she started recording. After two series, she and her mum have met so many people who have generously given their time to share their own experiences of dementia. One of those is Peter Berry, who’s fundraising efforts and great positivity have been an inspiration. V...

Victoria Lyons is Senior Consultant Admiral Nurse with Dementia UK, which provides specialist dementia support for families through the Admiral Nurse service. They give one to one support, guidance and practical solutions with nurses continually trained, developed and supported by Dementia UK.This year has been one of its most challenging, with the coronavirus pandemic. Victoria discusses some of...

We first met Peter Berry, who lives with early onset dementia, in Season 2 Episode 4. A passionate cyclist, he has focused his energy on raising thousands of pounds for dementia charities, cycling hundreds of miles in his quest to show that life is always worth living. By his side for many of his adventures has been his new friend and cycling companion, Deb Bunt. Recently retired, she hadn’t done...

Penny meets Dave Pickering, storyteller and award winning podcaster, who’s been making audio recordings of his dad, Peter, for years. As a former documentary maker himself, Peter has always enjoyed being involved in Dave’s work and rarely said no to an interview. Listening back to all they’ve done together, Dave discovered that he’d not only captured Peter’s life and their own close relationship,...

General content note for this episode: suicide, assisted dyingJulia Hailes is a sustainability pioneer who started her career in the 80s. She has had a tremendously close relationship with her mum for the whole of her life – as a mother, friend and confidant. Her mum’s subsequent diagnosis of dementia has had a huge effect. Julia has navigated these difficult years with her whole family and in par...

Debbie shares her experiences on caring for her mum, Lily, who lives with dementia. A perfect example of how one story leads to the next, Penny met Lily whilst recording Episode 2 – A Different Kind of Day Care With The Filo Project. Lily attends a weekly Filo group, hosted by Gloria, which in normal times supports individuals in Devon and Somerset who are socially isolated. Through the Filo Proje...

Peter Berry has been living with early onset Alzheimer’s disease for the last 5 years. Along with his wife, Teresa, he talks to Penny about his life. Previously the owner of a busy timber business, after his diagnosis at the age of 50, he was no longer able to work. He had some very low times but having always been a positive person, he began to focus on ways he could help others and raise awarene...

This podcast includes content funded by The British Podcast Awards and Wellcome Trust. Penny wants to know if technology can help people living with dementia stay at home for longer. She meets Lydia Nicholas from think tank Doteveryone to talk about the vital role tech can play, then takes a tour of a house specially designed for people living with dementia. She talks to Professor Eef Hogervorst f...

We are back for Season 2! It's been a while but Mum is doing well. Find out how she is and get an insight into the world of dementia research with Selena Milanovic, from the University of Oxford. Vote for Discovering Dementia as your Listeners' Choice at the British Podcast Awards: https://www.britishpodcastawards.com/vote Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This podcast includes content funded by The British Podcast Awards and Wellcome Trust. How important is socialising for a person living with dementia? Penny visits a scheme in Devon which provides what it calls a different kind of day care. The Filo Project offers a high quality experience for small groups of older people in an intimate home setting. www.thefiloproject.co.ukPenny chats to co-found...

Dogs are such good companions, they can really help improve how we feel mentally and physically. It is not surprising that pet therapy is often seen as a good way to help encourage social interaction for those living with dementia. Penny visits the Therapaws programme in London to find out more about how dogs can promote emotional and physical wellbeing. Vote for Discovering Dementia as your Liste...

Taking a holiday with a person living with dementia can be quite daunting, even if you've always enjoyed going away together. Dementia Adventure offers supported breaks away across the UK and abroad, enabling a person living with dementia to get outdoors and connect with nature. Penny and her mum go to Devon to experience a break by the sea. Vote for Discovering Dementia as your Listeners' Choice...

Christina Macdonald, author of Dementia Care: A Guide, tells Penny about her experiences caring for her own mum, who had vascular dementia. Christina is also the founder of Dementia Help, a free online resource designed to support the growing number of dementia carers. Vote for Discovering Dementia as your Listeners' Choice at the British Podcast Awards: https://www.britishpodcastawards.com/vote H...

Penny finds out the importance of a 19 metre mural for those with dementia at Northampton General Hospital. Vote for Discovering Dementia as your Listeners' Choice at the British Podcast Awards: https://www.britishpodcastawards.com/vote Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.