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My wife Jan was diagnosed with vascular dementia in 2015 and this developed into Alzheimer's disease. The effect on our family was profound, of course. We had been married for over 56 years and it's heart-breaking that she died in 2021.
For the first few years, through the early signs of something being wrong, I had to support her on a daily basis - I knew what a diagnosis of Alzheimer's meant, but I had to face it, reminded constantly that the shouting, the confusion, the violence, the loss of physical and emotional control, the sadness was not Jan, but the disease.
I eventually had to sell our family home to pay for Jan’s care. Not only did Alzheimer's take away my wife, but my home too.
She lost too many years of her life to Alzheimer's and her happy retirement was cut cruelly short. She spent the last years of her life in a care home that specialised in dementia – she had no idea where she was but was relatively happy there – warm, well fed and well looked after. We quickly noticed that she enjoyed the company of a small plastic doll that the Home had brought into her room – hearing of this, one of our friends gave us a doll from her collection - a life-size baby doll with touchy-feely skin and real blonde hair. When we first presented this to Jan she said “Hullo darling”, and refused to let go of it – it stayed with her for the rest of her life, and towards the end, even when she didn’t recognise us or talk to us, the doll could still generate a smile and a “Hullo darling”. It is said that ladies with dementia can forget everything except that they were once a mother – Daisy, as the doll became to be called, was living proof of this. Quite wonderful. And although Jan has gone, Daisy stayed behind at the care home to bring some joy to another resident.
There is no cure for Alzheimer's. That's why continued research and testing is vital to ensure we can get a better understanding of why it affects so many and what can be done to treat it effectively.

My sister has Alzheimer’s disease & was diagnosed 8 years ago just a few months after her husband passed away. She is the best sister I could have. She was the eldest daughter of nine children & I was the youngest child & she practically bought me up. Our dad died on my 13th birthday & I was absolutely devastated as he was my idol. My sister who was married by then with children of her own, took me to stay with her & her family for a while. One night she took me in to her garden, put her arm around me & pointed to the brightest star in the sky & said that is our dad & he will always be watching over us, 57 years later I still remember that. Unfortunately my sister is now in a care home & needs everything done for her. I visit her every week & she still knows who I am, but doesn’t know what day it is or where she is. It’s heartbreaking to see the sister who bought me up & her six children but she cannot remember things that happen each day but can talk about things from years ago. She is now 85 years old & I love her very much. I donate to Alzheimer’s research every month & think it is an amazing charity who do amazing work.

Peter and Maria, Burnley Lancs. I was diagnosed with young onset Alzheimer's 4yrs ago, aged 62.The 1st year was difficult getting the right support...Extremly tired a lot, sleeping during the day, spaced out the 1st 3/4 hrs in a morning also easily agitated and restless... Maria,s is wonderful, but getting weary, So we've now got a Admiral Nurse. God Bless to ALL affected with Dementia, especially family members.

This is such a cruel disease. My husband is 76 with Vascular Dementia & also unable to walk I have watched him decline very rapidly over 8 months from a bright, intelligent, lovely man whom I married 43 years ago, to the shell of a man he was. He was interested in lots of things, loved TV, music, DIY & food. Today he is lying in a hospital bed not interested in anything & shouting out all the time if I am not with him, refusing food & exercise. He doesn't know what he is saying, gets so mixed up & upset it breaks my heart. He is waiting to go into a care home now as I cannot manage him any more & I can't stop crying. It is so, so awful.

Hubby started to exhibit symptoms during 2020, but because of covid I couldn’t get to talk to any healthcare professional. We went to the local Nuffield hospital. Even then it was a 3 month wait. He was put on riverstigmain patches, but I haven’t always thought they did any good, but how can I tell? He is now 85 and we still go on holiday, he walks slowly, but we get around, the real problem is the incontinence, not the wee, the bowels. I buy the pants, and put a small liner inside at the back that’s for men’s water, which is waterproof . I just wish I could find something that I could put in that I could remove and put in the toilet. It doesn’t seem right to put that stuff in the bin. My son says to get a nappy bin, so I will try that. Imodium is useful when we are going out. And I have to hide the chocolate. People go on about dementia sufferers repeating themselves, if that was all I had to worry about, I would be happy. It’s me that repeats myself, but he cannot do what I say anymore, and I say he has ataxia, which means he cannt see things properly, or cannt recognise them. It’s such a shame as on the whole he is quite fit, and I get very tired doing everything. I am going to try to get more help,

My partner Wendy was diagnosed with P.C.A. a rare form of Alzheimers when she was only 57. Her condition deteriorated rapidly compared to people we met in our Alzheimers groups. We had 6 monthly visits from our Doctor, on one visit ,when Wendy was 60 , totally out of character Wendy became angry and aggressive and lunged
towards me and later at the Doctor. He said this is totally unsustainable.
2 days later, absolutely no warning, an ambulance arrived and Wendy was taken away to hospital. I was stunned, relieved, shocked, felt guilty. I had no idea that this was going to happen.
After a year, in a not very pleasant hospital
We had Wendy moved to what is a lovely nursing home with amazing staff.
Because of this horrendous disease Wendy can no longer move, see, speak or any other function.
I hope that very, very soon a remedy can be found.

My very clever, capable kind husband started showing signs of dementia 4 or 5 years ago and when I managed to get him to the GP, he was diagnosed with dementia. It was just at the time of the Covid epidemic so we couldn't get any help or advice except on-line. I did my best to look after him, but in my eighties with my own health problems, it was very difficult. I was heart-broken as I watched this once remarkable man deteriorate into a wreck of a man, unable to do any of the things he had once done and didn't even know where he was in his own home. Eventually I collapsed under the physical and mental strain, and we both had to move into a care home. We were in separate rooms there, which he hated, and after five months he passed away. He was 94 and had lived a good life and was much loved and respected by all he had known and helped.

I lost my beautiful wife, of 55 Years, to Dementia! She Was first diagnosed at about age 57, and passed away, from the disease, at age 74! I cared for her, I kept her at home, for most of this time, the best place, for her to have been! She passed away, in my loving arms, July 16Th. 2023! Dianne, was the love of my life! 🙏😇❤️