I just knew.

I just knew my Dad would one day develop dementia.
I just knew.
And he did.

So I knew what lay ahead.

I knew that what lay ahead was going to be a slow and progressive erosion of the man I admired and loved.
My Dad.

I knew this was going to be a journey of joy and grief, of strength and utter exhaustion, of love and loss and of revelation amidst the confusion.
This was to be our journey. With dementia. My Dad, my family and me.

And so it began. 

My Dad was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in March 2016 after thorough investigations by his Geriatrician.

The diagnosis came as no surprise to me, given that I had seen the changes in my Dad’s memory over the previous 3 years coupled with a delirium after having surgery in August 2015, from which he didn’t fully recover cognitively.

Upon diagnosis, Dad’s Geriatrician prescribed Donepezil.
The Donepezil had a positive effect. It made enough of a difference that a part of Dad returned.
Dad became more aware and more engaged with his environment, with the things he loved to do and with us.
And we made the best of our situation.

Our roller coaster.

We made the best of the good days and the not so good days.
We made the best of the roller coaster of emotions and situations that the decline of cognitive ability presented us with.
And we made the best of every moment over the next 2 years, keeping Dad at home, until he left us 3 weeks ago.

Why I’m blogging.

So this blog, my blog, will describe not just the impact dementia had on my Dad and us, his family, but the conversations, the challenges, the wins and the losses that we experienced over the time Dad was with us.
And my blog will guide you to make the decisions that are right for you and your family, to assist you to live your days with dementia as full as possible, to not be afraid, to not ruminate on what the future may hold as dementia progresses and to be ok with the decisions you make.

You see, I am a nurse who specialises in the care of the older person.
My interests are dementia, delirium, advance care planning and end of life care.
My experience is to know when and how to access the most appropriate support and services and to negotiate and navigate the sometimes confusing and convoluted path that caring for a loved one as they age entails.

And my passion and forte are being able to impart information to families in an honest and compassionate way, to support you in advocacy and to equip you with the knowledge and know how to make your experience of ageing and dementia bearable, meaningful and heart warming.

So, let’s get going. We’ll take it one step at a time.