Dementia Support Line
My first date with Annette was in the 1960’s the 60’s was good for us and we married in 1970 we have two great Sons and later four Grandchildren life was good...
My husband and i run with others, The Acorn Memory Cafe at a local church in Swinton. We hold this cafe once a month on the first Wednesday. It has been running for...
My husband was diagnosed in 2011,I looked after him at home till December 2014 when he was admitted to hospital having falls & seizures.He was transferred to a lovely...
Remembering my great uncle Peter Brennan sadly lost to the disease & very much missed - wearing my Forget-me-Not badge with pride 😊
We lost my dear Mum who battled Dementia bravely for many years. Mum was the kindest, sweetest person you could ever hope to meet, always had time for everyone and...
Being a full-time professional and a caregiver for a...
My wife, Elizabeth, died from dementia last March....
My parents both lived into their nineties - dad 96 and mum 97 and were both physically and mentally fit - until the last couple of years of their lives. Then they both...
A year ago tomorrow my mum died from Alzheimers...
I am looking after my wife she as vascular dementia when it all started I thought I could manage it but it’s hard and sometimes I just want to walk away but then I...
This Dementia Awareness Week has stayed with me deeply.
As a student nurse in mental health, I’ve spent time caring for people living with dementia. I’ve seen...
Have been married to Cherry my wife. For48 years and...
My first date with Annette was in the 1960’s the 60’s was good for us and we married in 1970 we have two great Sons and later four Grandchildren life was good work, life and charity work filled our time. Retirement loomed Annette started to get distant at work the thought of retirement was blamed.The purchase of a holiday home gave all a nice break Annette backed of and I fell into cook etc, an appointment at the doctors was offered but refused after family discussions as memory was getting worse a trip to hospital after a host of test it was official dementia had moved in with us it was not easy I was Annette’s sole career good days and bad days life went on until one day Annette had no appetite it got to a point no fluid or food just never hungry, hospital put he on drips but she started to fade I was with her every day until she passed away. Still the love of my life went had 53 years together now in peace.
Barry
My husband and i run with others, The Acorn Memory Cafe at a local church in Swinton. We hold this cafe once a month on the first Wednesday. It has been running for 10years in June so we are having a party to celebrate. We have see people come and go, some passing away and some going into nursing homes.
Anne Rhodes
My husband was diagnosed in 2011,I looked after him at home till December 2014 when he was admitted to hospital having falls & seizures.He was transferred to a lovely nursing home in Cardiff where he lived till 2017 when he passed away. My daughter's & grandchildren were amazing & a source of strength for me.😔I miss him every single day.we all did the Alzheimer's walk quite a few times.
Leone
Remembering my great uncle Peter Brennan sadly lost to the disease & very much missed - wearing my Forget-me-Not badge with pride 😊
Laura
We lost my dear Mum who battled Dementia bravely for many years. Mum was the kindest, sweetest person you could ever hope to meet, always had time for everyone and would give her last penny to help, regardless. Gone but never forgotten Mum, miss you more every day. Thank you for being the best Mum ever, I was blessed.
Sally
Being a full-time professional and a caregiver for a mother with Alzheimer’s means living in two completely different worlds at once. At my desk, I managed projects, answered emails, and maintained a composed, professional exterior. But my phone was always face-up next to my keyboard. Every ring brought a jolt of adrenaline: *Did she wander? Did she forget to turn off the stove? Is she safe?*
The guilt was a constant shadow. When I was at work, I felt like I was failing my mum. When I was tending to her, I worried I was dropping the ball at my job. I became a master of masking exhaustion, drinking cold coffee, and crying silently just to clear my head before walking through either door.
Alzheimer’s slowly stole her memories, but it couldn't steal her essence. In her quiet, lucid moments, a look of recognition would flash in her eyes, making every sleepless night worth it.
I didn't choose this dual life, but love doesn't clock out. Balancing deadlines with her shifting reality taught me a fierce resilience. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but caring for the woman who once gave everything for me was the only job that truly mattered.
The guilt was a constant shadow. When I was at work, I felt like I was failing my mum. When I was tending to her, I worried I was dropping the ball at my job. I became a master of masking exhaustion, drinking cold coffee, and crying silently just to clear my head before walking through either door.
Alzheimer’s slowly stole her memories, but it couldn't steal her essence. In her quiet, lucid moments, a look of recognition would flash in her eyes, making every sleepless night worth it.
I didn't choose this dual life, but love doesn't clock out. Balancing deadlines with her shifting reality taught me a fierce resilience. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but caring for the woman who once gave everything for me was the only job that truly mattered.
Nicola
My wife, Elizabeth, died from dementia last March. She was Australian so we used to go there regularly. Our favourite stopover was Hong Kong and we loved the harbour. I wrote a poem about the harbour at night in her memory:
Hong Kong harbour at night
We got there early
Just the three of is
Up high above the harbour
Watching the sky blaze behind
The tall towers
How I wish you were with us
Slowly the city lights come on
Almost invisible at first
But ever brighter as the
Sun slips away
This has to be my favourite view
How I wish you were with us
I can see the Start Ferries
Zig-zagging across the harbour
As they have done for decades
Timelessly transporting people
In their hundreds and thousands
How I wish you were with us
It’s dark now. The city is
Re-born, bathed in electric light
I could almost close my eyes
And bathe in these lights forever
Oh, how I wish you were with us
If I could stop time, this is where and when
I’d stop it
Sitting watching Hong Kong harbour at night
Watching for all eternity
With you by my side.
Hong Kong harbour at night
We got there early
Just the three of is
Up high above the harbour
Watching the sky blaze behind
The tall towers
How I wish you were with us
Slowly the city lights come on
Almost invisible at first
But ever brighter as the
Sun slips away
This has to be my favourite view
How I wish you were with us
I can see the Start Ferries
Zig-zagging across the harbour
As they have done for decades
Timelessly transporting people
In their hundreds and thousands
How I wish you were with us
It’s dark now. The city is
Re-born, bathed in electric light
I could almost close my eyes
And bathe in these lights forever
Oh, how I wish you were with us
If I could stop time, this is where and when
I’d stop it
Sitting watching Hong Kong harbour at night
Watching for all eternity
With you by my side.
David
My parents both lived into their nineties - dad 96 and mum 97 and were both physically and mentally fit - until the last couple of years of their lives. Then they both started showing increasing signs of dementia. They were the first members of my family to do so and it hit me hard. Fortunately, they both still knew me right to the end, but this does not happen with so many people and I cannot imagine how people cope with that. I therefore support Alzheimer's Society to help others.
Janet
A year ago tomorrow my mum died from Alzheimers Disease. She had received her diagnosis at the end of 2023 but her symptoms had started long before this. Thankfully my dad cared for her until the last few weeks of her life when things became too difficult to manage at home and we sadly had to move her into a care home, something we know she had desperately wanted to avoid. She was a dress maker and during her life had made amazing outfits, including dance dresses for a boutique in London. Included in her many skills were lace making and embroidery which she used to adorn the many things she made. It was so sad to see these skills disappear in the last years of her life, leaving her a shell of her former self. Thankfully she had left us with many handmade items of lace and embroidery which we now treasure all the more.
Helen
I am looking after my wife she as vascular dementia when it all started I thought I could manage it but it’s hard and sometimes I just want to walk away but then I remember she is my wife of 67 years
Joseph
This Dementia Awareness Week has stayed with me deeply.
As a student nurse in mental health, I’ve spent time caring for people living with dementia. I’ve seen moments of confusion, forgotten memories, repeated questions — but I’ve also seen something many people forget to notice: humanity, emotion, humor, love, and the desire for independence.
The world is changing. People are living longer, and dementia is affecting more families every year. Behind every diagnosis is a person who once had routines, stories, dreams, and a home they feel safe in.
Caring for patients with dementia made me ask myself an important question:
What if technology could help people stay independent for longer?
Alongside nursing, I’m also studying a Master’s degree in Data Science. That combination has shaped my vision for the future — using AI not to replace human care, but to support it.
I imagine AI systems that can gently remind someone to take medication, detect changes in behavior early, reduce risks at home, support families, and help people with dementia continue living safely in the place they love most: their own home.
Freedom matters. Dignity matters. Familiar surroundings matter.
Dementia may affect memory, but it should never take away a person’s identity or right to live with comfort and respect.
This week is not only about awareness. It’s about imagining a better future — where healthcare, compassion, and technology work together to improve lives.
I hope to be part of building that future. 💜
#DementiaAwarenessWeek #MentalHealthNursing #DementiaCare #AIforGood #HealthcareInnovation #DataScience #NursingStudent #AlzheimersAwareness #FutureOfHealthcare #CompassionInCare
As a student nurse in mental health, I’ve spent time caring for people living with dementia. I’ve seen moments of confusion, forgotten memories, repeated questions — but I’ve also seen something many people forget to notice: humanity, emotion, humor, love, and the desire for independence.
The world is changing. People are living longer, and dementia is affecting more families every year. Behind every diagnosis is a person who once had routines, stories, dreams, and a home they feel safe in.
Caring for patients with dementia made me ask myself an important question:
What if technology could help people stay independent for longer?
Alongside nursing, I’m also studying a Master’s degree in Data Science. That combination has shaped my vision for the future — using AI not to replace human care, but to support it.
I imagine AI systems that can gently remind someone to take medication, detect changes in behavior early, reduce risks at home, support families, and help people with dementia continue living safely in the place they love most: their own home.
Freedom matters. Dignity matters. Familiar surroundings matter.
Dementia may affect memory, but it should never take away a person’s identity or right to live with comfort and respect.
This week is not only about awareness. It’s about imagining a better future — where healthcare, compassion, and technology work together to improve lives.
I hope to be part of building that future. 💜
#DementiaAwarenessWeek #MentalHealthNursing #DementiaCare #AIforGood #HealthcareInnovation #DataScience #NursingStudent #AlzheimersAwareness #FutureOfHealthcare #CompassionInCare
reji
Have been married to Cherry my wife. For48 years and she has the big D for 4 years
God bless her
Luv Roger
God bless her
Luv Roger
Roger
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However you’ve been affected by dementia, this is a place for you to share your Forget Me Not story with other people who get it.