Fearful future

  • Posted by admin
  • On 1st July 2016
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  • #AlzheimersShow, #alzshow, activities, Admiral Nurses, alzheimer's, Alzheimer's research UK, Alzheimer's Society, break, caring, confusion, Daily Care, decline, dementia, Dementia UK, diagnosed, health, living with, memory loss, mum, patient, practical, recognise, relative, vascular dementia
Christina Macdonald reports on the decline of her mum and why the future can be a fearful place for those in the later stages of the dementia My mum’s dementia has entered a new phase. It happened almost overnight. One day she seemed chatty and friendly, the next a detached, zombie-like figure capable of only […]
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 5

Know that someone else understands

  • Posted by admin
  • On 16th June 2016
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  • #AlzheimersShow, #alzshow, activities, Admiral Nurses, alzheimer's, Alzheimer's research UK, Alzheimer's Society, break, calm, caring, confusion, Daily Care, dementia, Dementia UK, diagnosed, health, living with, memory loss, mum, relative, stress, sympathetic, together, vascular dementia
After speaking at The Alzheimer’s Show about being a carer, Online Editor Christina Macdonald reveals why it’s even more important than she realised to mix with other carers When you care for a loved one with dementia, you get good and bad days. Your perspective can change. On a good day, you’re glad to have […]
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Walk a mile in their shoes

  • Posted by admin
  • On 12th May 2016
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  • #AlzheimersShow, #alzshow, activities, Admiral Nurses, alzheimer's, Alzheimer's research UK, Alzheimer's Society, caring, Daily Care, dementia, Dementia UK, disease, distressed, environment, health, help, increasing care, mum, practical, relative, stress, surroundings, vascular dementia
When caring for a person with dementia, it’s easy to focus on practical tasks and not have time to think about how the person is feeling. Understanding situations from their perspective can make you a better carer. Words: Christina Macdonald One of the many struggles I used to have when caring for my mother was […]
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Have a peaceful Easter

  • Posted by admin
  • On 23rd March 2016
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  • #AlzheimersShow, #alzshow, activities, Admiral Nurses, alzheimer's, Alzheimer's research UK, Alzheimer's Society, bathroom, break, calm, caring, confusing, dementia, Dementia UK, diagnosed, distressed, environment, family, friendly, health, help, holiday, living with, local, relative, tired, together, vascular dementia, walk
Make the most of the Easter break and take the stress off when caring for a person with dementia – here’s how to make it as peaceful as possible for everyone. Words: Christina Macdonald If you are caring for a person with dementia, the Easter break can be a challenging time for everyone as it […]
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‘I was fiercely protective of both parents’

  • Posted by admin
  • On 18th March 2016
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  • #AlzheimersShow, #alzshow, A&E, alzheimer's, Alzheimer's research UK, Alzheimer's Society, brain, confused, Daily Care, dementia, Dementia UK, disease, education, falls, GP, Home Care, living with, medication, memory loss, mum, practical, relative, scan, sedated, spouse, together, vascular dementia, vulnerable, working
Nancy McAndrew is the mother of model turned marathon runner Nell McAndrew. She cared for her parents, who both had dementia. Here, she shares her story… Dementia has had a massive impact on my family. Over a period of 20 years, I cared for my parents, who both had dementia, though thankfully not at the […]
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Good reasons to keep visiting a person with dementia

  • Posted by admin
  • On 6th January 2016
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  • #AlzheimersShow, #alzshow, alone, alzheimer's, Alzheimer's research UK, Alzheimer's Society, better, break, calm, care, caring, confusion, conversation, Daily Care, death, dementia, Dementia UK, experience, happiness, health, help, holiday, home, isolated, living with, loved, memories, memory loss, mood, practical, reassuring, recognise, relative, safe, secure, spouse, stress, surroundings, SweetTree, together, vascular dementia, visit
Is there any point in going to see a person with dementia if they don’t remember you or even recall your visit? Alzheimer’s Society certainly thinks so and Christina Macdonald agrees wholeheartedly… Every now and then a piece of research hits the headlines that sounds so obvious, you wonder why someone commissioned it in the […]
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 9

Feeling the fear

  • Posted by admin
  • On 21st December 2015
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  • #AlzheimersShow, #alzshow, activities, Admiral Nurses, Age UK, alzheimer's, calm, caring, confusion, Daily Care, disease, fear, fearful, living with, practical, progression, relative, tasks
A person with dementia can become fearful over everyday tasks and activities that most of us take for granted. Christina Macdonald explains how to calm them down When you are caring for a person with dementia, the learning never stops. Ideas can backfire. Something that seems like a good idea, such as taking someone out […]
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Should you take a person with dementia on holiday?

  • Posted by admin
  • On 4th December 2015
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  • #AlzheimersShow, #alzshow, Admiral Nurses, alzheimer's, Alzheimer's research UK, Alzheimer's Society, break, caring, confusion, dementia, health, help, holiday, living with, memory loss, mum, practical, relative, spouse, stress, surroundings, together
Christina Macdonald’s efforts to treat her mother to a luxury spa break backfired badly and proved to be quite a learning curve It might seem like a nice idea to treat a person with dementia to a short break away from home, especially if they have just been diagnosed or they are feeling depressed and […]
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 7

‘Did I just ask you that?’

  • Posted by admin
  • On 19th November 2015
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  • #AlzheimersShow, #alzshow, Admiral Nurses, Age UK, Alzheimer's research UK, Alzheimer's Society, confusion, Daily Care, death, dementia, diagnosed, GP, health, help, Home Care, Home Care Agency, increasing care, living with, Meals on Wheels, memory loss, practical, relative, Social Services, spouse, stress, vascular dementia
The Alzheimer’s Show’s Online Editor Christina Macdonald reflects on the challenges of caring for her mum, Hazel Neal, who was diagnosed with dementia six years ago My mother was first diagnosed with vascular dementia in 2009, though I suspect she’d had the illness for a couple of years beforehand. I’d known for a while that […]
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 3

‘Why write about dementia?’ – Introducing our new Online Editor Christina Macdonald

  • Posted by admin
  • On 18th November 2015
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  • #AlzheimersShow, #alzshow, Admiral Nurses, alzheimer's, Alzheimer's research UK, Alzheimer's Society, caring, dementia, Dementia UK, experience, fitness, health, help, living, living with, practical, relative
My friends have asked me this question many times. Surely I should write about a more cheerful topic? After years of writing about health and fitness, I’ve got some very strong reasons for writing about dementia. My mother Hazel has vascular dementia and caring for her has been a huge learning curve, as well as […]
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