Dealing with a family member who has been diagnosed with dementia can be a massive change in both their and your lifestyle.
Jill Rennie of Alzheimer Scotland is on a mission to educate families and those that live with dementia on how best to continue life for that person in the most positive and nurturing way.
Dementia is the progressive loss of the powers of the brain. There are many kinds of dementia but the most common is Alzheimer’s disease. 
First things first, if you feel yourself having issues with your memory, or a friend or relative, the first thing to do is visit your GP. There are lots of reasons why we have memory loss and it is important to identify the cause.
In Scotland, around 90,000 people have dementia. It is most common in older people but can affect people in their 40s or 50s or even younger. Alzheimer Scotland is committed to funding research to improve the lives of people with dementia now and in the future . The Alzheimer Scotland Dementia Research Centre works in partnership with the University of Edinburgh.
Clinical research tests the effectiveness of a variety of treatments designed to help people live better with dementia and to slow the progression of the illness. There is a limited range of drugs available to people with dementia but not everyone benefits from them. Finding new treatments that work would have a major impact on the quality of life for those affected by dementia.
Scientific research works to improve our understanding of what causes dementia and the links between symptoms and changes in the brain. It also looks at developing methods of detecting very early signs of dementia, which could help us find a way to stop the illness progressing further. If you are interested in joining the Dementia Research register visit : www.joindementiaresearch.nihr.ac.uk


As the illness progresses, money and legal matters can become harder to manage. It is important to put your financial and legal affairs in order as soon as possible. Making some decisions now can also help avoid trouble and expense for your partner, relatives or carers later, eg, grant a member of your family power of attorney.
Jill, within her work as a carer liason / dementia friendly community worker with Alzheimer Scotland, is passionate about helping people living with dementia to have the most fulfilling life possible, by offering as much information and support as possible. With the right support, it is possible for people with dementia to carry on doing the things they enjoy or even finding new things to enjoy in order to get the best out of life. Alzheimer Scotland offers a supportive helping hand with advice and information including a 24-hour helpline. There is a network of services available to help you find the support that is right for you and to ensure that nobody faces dementia alone.
Jill has given us a list of key points that gives advice on how to live with any form of dementia.


Five things you should know

  • Dementia is not a natural part of ageing. It is caused by diseases which lead to changes to the structure and chemistry of the brain. When someone becomes forgetful or confused, friends and family are often quick to say that this is just ‘what happens when you get older’. Some of us do struggle with our memory as we get older or during times of stress or illness, but dementia is different. Lots of people momentarily forget a friend’s name but people with dementia may forget ever having met them. They usually experience a range of other symptoms alongside memory problems and will begin to struggle with daily life as the illness progresses.
  • Dementia is caused by diseases of the brain. The word dementia describes a group of symptoms that may include memory loss, difficulties with planning, problem-solving or language and sometimes changes in mood or behaviour. Everyones dementia is different and whatever type of dementia a person has, everyone will experience the condition in their own way, how it affects a person over time is also unique to the individual.
  • Dementia is not just about losing your memory. People often associate dementia with memory loss and it often starts with affecting a person’s short-term memory. Someone with dementia might repeat themselves and have problems remembering things that happened recently, although they may find it easier to remember things from a long time ago. Dementia can also affect the way people think , speak, perceive things, how they feel and behave. Some common symptoms are difficulties with concentration, planning and thinking things through. Some people will struggle with familiar daily tasks, like following a recipe or using a bank card. Dementia can also make it harder to communicate, a person might have trouble finding the right word or keeping up with a conversation. Some people have problems judging distances even though their eyes are fine. Mood changes and difficulty controlling emotions are common too. A person may become sad, frightened, angry or easily upset, they can lose their self-confidence and become withdrawn.
  • It is possible to live well with Dementia. Living with dementia is hard, when someone gets a diagnosis, their plans for the future might have to change. The important thing to remember is that dementia doesn’t change who the person is as an individual and what their life history is. To live well with dementia is unique to each individual and is about focusing on what is important to them and supporting them to do things they enjoy. With the right support it is possible for people with dementia to carry on doing the things they enjoy or even finding new things to enjoy in order to get the best out of life.

Hints and tips on supporting friends with dementia

  • Stay in touch, people with dementia can become isolated very quickly as friends and family can feel uncomfortable talking about it.
  • Staying friends and keeping in regular contact can help maintain a person with dementia’s sense of identity and self -esteem.
  • Find out more about dementia and how it’s likely to affect their everyday life. This will help you to support your friend.
  • It can be very hard to cope with a diagnosis of dementia and people can respond very differently. Be as understanding and patient as you can.
  • Your friend might make mistakes or get mixed up if they have a problem with their memory, don’t take it personally.
  • Don’t put pressure on your friend or the friendship to stay exactly the same.
  • Support your friend to stay as independent as long as possible. You don’t need to do everything for them which is the last thing they will want, but you can help them to keep doing activities they enjoy.
  • Continue to include your friend in social activities for as long as possible.
  • Make sure to talk directly to your friend, especially in social situations. Don’t talk past them or assume they are not listening or do not understand.
  • If your friend is being cared for by a relative/spouse/partner try to support the person who is providing the care, spending time with your friend whilst the carer can go shopping or meet their own friends can make a huge difference.
  • The most important way you can help is to just be a good friend.
  • Communicating with someone with dementia - What can someone with dementia feel?
  • Imagine if you were to lose the ability to say the right word or understand what was being said eg: in a foreign country where you don’t speak the language.
  • You may feel frustrated, angry and look for help, perhaps get someone to interpret for you.
  • You might respond by not speaking at all and withdrawing into yourself or avoiding situations where you have to communicate with people.
  • A person with dementia may:
  • Feel under pressure because they can’t cope as well as they used to
  • Feel that their independence and privacy is being taken away
  • Think that they are being judged for making a mistake
  • Be frightened by too much noise, too many people or a change in routine
  • Already have poor hearing and eyesight which can be made worse by their dementia
  • Repeat actions and questions

Helpful hints:

  • Be calm and patient.
  • Face the person, speak clearly and slowly
  • Reassure the person, make sure you have their attention by gently touching their arm and saying their name.
  • Use short simple sentences and say exactly what you mean.
  • Try to get one idea across at a time.
  • Allow plenty of time for the person to take in what you say and to reply.
  • Try not to confuse or embarrass the person by correcting them bluntly.
  • Use questions which ask for a simple answer.
  • Don’t ask questions which test their memory.
  • Talk about familiar people and places.
  • Use the names of the people you are talking about instead of he or she. It will help remind the person of who you are taking about.
  • Use facial expressions and hand gestures to make yourself understood.
  • Actions speak louder than words …… A smile, touch or gesture can be just as important in getting the message across and showing that you care. Sometimes holding the person’s hand when you talk can be very reassuring.

For more information and support call : Alzheimer Scotland 24 hour Dementia Helpline Freephone 0800 808 3000 or email helpline@alzscot.org/ info@alzscot.org

RETIRED FARMING SOCIAL GROUP

Jill has set up a retired farming social group, based, at the moment, in Castle Douglas. So far, she has held two very successful meetings bringing together people who have retired from farming, including people with memory loss. 
Jill says: “It’s so enjoyable to watch everyone just chat about their memories in the farming world. It’s very stimulating to those that have memory loss problems as their long-term memories are usually still there. You just don’t realise how powerful it is to get people together and just talk about a shared lifestyle.”
Jill has put this group together as part of her community remit for Alzheimer Scotland, however, the funding for this particular project runs out in March and Jill is looking for funding to continue to hold the meetings , she is looking for funding to make sure this fantastic group can continue to grow and hopefully start up in other regions if the support was there.


Retired Farming Social Group 
A new social group designed for people to capture and share memories of their farming days. 
The group is open to anyone who has retired from farming including people with memory loss. 
Why don’t you come along to engage in lively discussion in good company? 
Wednesday,  March 28, at 1.30pm Market Inn, Castle Douglas. 
For more information contact : 
Jill Rennie on 01387 261303 / 07795 2567731 
email JRennie@alzscot.org