Dementia UK’s Post

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“My husband, John, has Alzheimer’s disease. We were planning a party to celebrate his 80th birthday and our golden wedding anniversary with family and friends, many of whom had not seen him in a while. To help people in their approaches to John, I sent out an email in advance saying ‘If you have known John for a long time, you will have common history to talk about. If not, you will probably have to remind/tell him who you are and then there are some conversation topics that you could try, or not, as seems appropriate on the day’. I listed various significant events in his life such as where he was born and grew up, where he went to school, where he and I had met and got married, his job, and some of his early achievements and interests – all subjects that I knew he would happily talk about. Several people thanked me for this, saying that it meant they could approach John with confidence and start a conversation with him without worrying about how he (or they) would cope. Every time I looked at him at the party, he was engaging with someone and laughing, so I knew that he was enjoying himself. I was also able to enjoy myself because I could relax and socialise without feeling the need to constantly hover. Ten minutes after everyone had left, he had absolutely no memory of the event, but that didn’t matter, we live in the moment. I know that he had also contributed to other peoples’ enjoyment of the day.” Thank you to Jacqui for sharing how she made sure her husband John could still enjoy a social occasion with friends after his diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. 💙 A person with dementia can often understand far more than they can communicate, so always try to involve them in your conversation. Small changes in your approach can make a big difference. You can read tips for communicating with a person with dementia on our website: https://lnkd.in/encJXhWr #DementiaCare #Alzheimers #Dementia

  • A family of six smiling and sitting together on and around a large sofa in a cosy room decorated with balloons.
  • Two people smiling while sitting in a tent, one wearing a hat and jumper, the other in a blue jacket. There is a colourful wind breaker and greenery in the background.
  • Two individuals dressed in formal attire, standing in a hallway. The person on the left is wearing a black sleeveless dress and has short hair, while the person on the right is wearing a black suit with a bow tie and has gray hair and a beard.

The way we communicate with people can have such a huge impact, not only in that moment but long after, even if we do not realise. It is wonderful that Jacqui made others feel comfortable to communicate with John in a way he could enjoy and celebrate the special day.

Amazing communication from Jacqui! We hope John and his family had a lovely celebration 💗

Melissa Charlton

Rehabilitation support and goals for mental health wellbeing

2mo

Happy belated birthday! So true! This is like my mum, no recollection 10 minutes after, however enjoyed the moment. What a great idea xx

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Angela Hoxley

Contract Consultant at Pertemps in Partnership with The Open University

2mo

Congratulations John on your 80th birthday & your golden wedding anniversary ❤️

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