Dementia Support Line
Nanny Bet, unfortunately we lost our wonderful Nan to...
Vera has spent over 50 years as a carer. Caring for others was not simply her job, it shaped who she is. Although dementia has changed how she experiences the world,...
Heanton Nursing Home: Where Barbara’s Story...
My beautiful mum was diagnosed with Alzheimer's and Vascular in 2020. We realized something was wrong when she couldn't remember names or places. Once diagnosed my mum...
My Dad was finding things difficult.. as a family we...
My wife and I had been married for 30 years when Betty was diagnosed with dementia. I nursed her for 8 of her last9 years, it was hard going but I did not begrudge her...
Our beloved step-dad was diagnosed with dementia a...
Bill Chenail: A Life of Extraordinary...
My Dad had dementia it happened very quickly ...it was so hard to watch my Dad change so much.He passed away 10th may last year .It was a very hard and soul destroying...
My wife Carol was diagnosed with Alzheimer's 3yrs ago...
Mum got Alzheimer’s at 80 it started with...
Liz and I have been married for 55 years (My sunshine girl). Firstly she went down with Cerebella Atrophy 8 years ago, then Vascular Dementia followed by...
Nanny Bet, unfortunately we lost our wonderful Nan to Alzheimer’s just April this year. She was a pure joy to be around and this disease takes so much from people. It would be amazing if a little money spent in her name supported other going through this journey too.
Gemma
Vera has spent over 50 years as a carer. Caring for others was not simply her job, it shaped who she is. Although dementia has changed how she experiences the world, that desire to care has never left her.
Vera now lives at thistle court care home and that act of wanting to care shows up everyday. As she moves through the home, she does not take bread from the “bakery shop” for herself. She takes it to give to others. (a space designed to reflect everyday routines, incorporating mock shops, a bus stop and sensory features such as an apple tree paired with an apple air freshener.) When she picks flowers from the “flower shop”, they are placed in shared spaces so others can enjoy them. She straightens tables, tidies communal areas, and hands over pieces of paper and a pen, believing she is passing on important information, even though the page remains blank.
These actions are not random. They are purposeful acts of care rooted in a lifetime of service. Telling Vera that she no longer works would not bring clarity, it would remove her sense of usefulness and strip away a role that defined her adult life. Instead, the team at Thistle Court step into Vera’s reality. They allow her to care. Supporting her to “work” safely, offering tasks that align with her lifelong identity and adapting the environment so her need to be active and helpful can be met without harm.
Baking is often part of life in the home. Vera, alongside others, may be given a bowl with flour and water, spending time mixing, kneading and engaging with the process. When the “baking” is finished, the team step away and return with bread or cakes, which Vera believes she has made herself. What matters is not whether the bread truly came from her hands, but the sense of achievement she experiences.
Bread-making is also used in another important way. Even for people who cannot eat solid food, the smell of fresh bread can be powerful. The home will place a slice nearby so the aroma can stimulate appetite. When someone is later supported with a puréed or soft diet, they are often more comfortable, more receptive and better able to eat.
At Thistle Court, these decisions are guided by weighing truth against the impact it may have. Allowing Vera to remain in a world where she is needed, protects her emotional wellbeing. For Vera, caring is who she has always been and who she still is. At Thistle Court, that identity is honoured, not corrected away.
To read the full story please visit : https://thistlecourtcarehome.com/2026/02/10/choosing-kindness-over-correction-at-thistle-court-care-home-in-cwmbran/
Vera now lives at thistle court care home and that act of wanting to care shows up everyday. As she moves through the home, she does not take bread from the “bakery shop” for herself. She takes it to give to others. (a space designed to reflect everyday routines, incorporating mock shops, a bus stop and sensory features such as an apple tree paired with an apple air freshener.) When she picks flowers from the “flower shop”, they are placed in shared spaces so others can enjoy them. She straightens tables, tidies communal areas, and hands over pieces of paper and a pen, believing she is passing on important information, even though the page remains blank.
These actions are not random. They are purposeful acts of care rooted in a lifetime of service. Telling Vera that she no longer works would not bring clarity, it would remove her sense of usefulness and strip away a role that defined her adult life. Instead, the team at Thistle Court step into Vera’s reality. They allow her to care. Supporting her to “work” safely, offering tasks that align with her lifelong identity and adapting the environment so her need to be active and helpful can be met without harm.
Baking is often part of life in the home. Vera, alongside others, may be given a bowl with flour and water, spending time mixing, kneading and engaging with the process. When the “baking” is finished, the team step away and return with bread or cakes, which Vera believes she has made herself. What matters is not whether the bread truly came from her hands, but the sense of achievement she experiences.
Bread-making is also used in another important way. Even for people who cannot eat solid food, the smell of fresh bread can be powerful. The home will place a slice nearby so the aroma can stimulate appetite. When someone is later supported with a puréed or soft diet, they are often more comfortable, more receptive and better able to eat.
At Thistle Court, these decisions are guided by weighing truth against the impact it may have. Allowing Vera to remain in a world where she is needed, protects her emotional wellbeing. For Vera, caring is who she has always been and who she still is. At Thistle Court, that identity is honoured, not corrected away.
To read the full story please visit : https://thistlecourtcarehome.com/2026/02/10/choosing-kindness-over-correction-at-thistle-court-care-home-in-cwmbran/
Rafaella Faccio
Heanton Nursing Home: Where Barbara’s Story Continues
Barbara Walsh was born in 1947 in Winchester, Hampshire. A lifelong passion of books, languages, and theatre, she studied French literature in Switzerland, performed on stage in London, and later built a meaningful career as an occupational therapist. Her life has been rich with learning, compassion, and quiet strength.
Her mind was exceptional. By age three, she could read, write, and speak fluently. However aside from her academic talents and intelligence, Barbara is kind. A love for animals has always been part of who Barbara is. She cared for two horses, attended horse shows, rode in point-to-point races, and confidently jumped high fences. The horses adored her, and the bond between them was clear.
But dementia does not recognise such achievements. It arrives quietly, then takes boldly, not just memories, but confidence, independence, and the ability to navigate day-to-day life.
Barbara’s diagnosis came in 2020, though the signs had appeared earlier. At first, she tried to carry on as normal. But when her beloved dog Monty died in 2023, everything changed. She began hiding things she couldn’t manage anymore, her phone, her computer, as fear and confusion crept in. Her world, once full of knowledge and connection, began to shrink.
Barbara now lives at Heanton Nursing Home, a place where care is centred on the person, not just the condition. When she first arrived, it took time for her to settle. Like many people living with a Dementia, trust was not immediate. But the team at Heanton didn’t rush. They listened. They adapted. They showed her she was still in control of her life.
Now, Barbara’s independence is supported in small but meaningful ways. When she wants to talk, to laugh, or even have a good rant someone is there, simply listening. Sometimes, that’s all that’s needed.
The bond between Barbara and the team has grown into something deeply personal. She even refers to one carer as her “adoptive daughter.” That kind of connection can’t be written into a care plan, it grows from compassion, consistency, and the belief that dementia does not erase identity.
At Heanton, we understand that dementia is a complex journey, one that takes courage and care to navigate. Our role is to walk alongside each person, never ahead of them, always with respect and love.
Barbara’s story continues here, not just with safety, but with meaning, dignity, and heart.
To read the full story please visit - https://www.heantonnursinghome.com/heanton-nursing-home-devon-complex-care/
Barbara Walsh was born in 1947 in Winchester, Hampshire. A lifelong passion of books, languages, and theatre, she studied French literature in Switzerland, performed on stage in London, and later built a meaningful career as an occupational therapist. Her life has been rich with learning, compassion, and quiet strength.
Her mind was exceptional. By age three, she could read, write, and speak fluently. However aside from her academic talents and intelligence, Barbara is kind. A love for animals has always been part of who Barbara is. She cared for two horses, attended horse shows, rode in point-to-point races, and confidently jumped high fences. The horses adored her, and the bond between them was clear.
But dementia does not recognise such achievements. It arrives quietly, then takes boldly, not just memories, but confidence, independence, and the ability to navigate day-to-day life.
Barbara’s diagnosis came in 2020, though the signs had appeared earlier. At first, she tried to carry on as normal. But when her beloved dog Monty died in 2023, everything changed. She began hiding things she couldn’t manage anymore, her phone, her computer, as fear and confusion crept in. Her world, once full of knowledge and connection, began to shrink.
Barbara now lives at Heanton Nursing Home, a place where care is centred on the person, not just the condition. When she first arrived, it took time for her to settle. Like many people living with a Dementia, trust was not immediate. But the team at Heanton didn’t rush. They listened. They adapted. They showed her she was still in control of her life.
Now, Barbara’s independence is supported in small but meaningful ways. When she wants to talk, to laugh, or even have a good rant someone is there, simply listening. Sometimes, that’s all that’s needed.
The bond between Barbara and the team has grown into something deeply personal. She even refers to one carer as her “adoptive daughter.” That kind of connection can’t be written into a care plan, it grows from compassion, consistency, and the belief that dementia does not erase identity.
At Heanton, we understand that dementia is a complex journey, one that takes courage and care to navigate. Our role is to walk alongside each person, never ahead of them, always with respect and love.
Barbara’s story continues here, not just with safety, but with meaning, dignity, and heart.
To read the full story please visit - https://www.heantonnursinghome.com/heanton-nursing-home-devon-complex-care/
Rafaella
My beautiful mum was diagnosed with Alzheimer's and Vascular in 2020. We realized something was wrong when she couldn't remember names or places. Once diagnosed my mum took it all in her stride and just got on with life. At times she was sad, but mainly her happy self until 2024 when it really took hold. She became withdrawn, sad and full of anxiety. Worrying about things, becoming upset quickly and just generally low. We carried on taking her out to places she loved to visit like The Abbey gardens and Anglesey Abbey. Felixstowe was a real favourite of hers.
Sadly, eating became a real issue and she would struggle and worried about it, but we didn't stop taking her out, I just fed her and she seemed ok with me doing this for her. Toileting then started and this really had an inpact on her mood and her wanting to just stay in doors. She didnt like using any other toilet but her own at home. We had to support her with this as she couldn't manage this alone. Sadly Dementia takes away privacy and dignity as tasks that you have managed all your life just stop being manageable. However, we got through it and fully supported her which she allowed us to do. I felt like my mum was now my child and all the parts of life my mum had taught me, I was now using. Caring, patience, loving, nurturing, feeding, bathing, all personal care, sorting, teaching and supporting a loved one. Never once did I feel I couldn't do it. She was and always will be my mum and I would have done anything for her. The last year of my mums dementia journey was hard, heart breaking and a journey of discovery with strength I never thought I had. To watch your mum suffer, cry, shout, scream and struggle is the hardest time of my lifer and hers. To see her standing there with her head against the wall shouting that she didn't know what was happening and that something was in her head will stay with me forever. To listen to her ask who and where she was and that she wanted her mum was heart breaking. All I could do was to try and hold her and tell her how much she was loved. To watch my dad suffer and for him to see the woman he had loved for over 65 years turn into a shell was devastating and still breaks my heart just thinking about it.
After mum suffered from a few infections and hospital admissions, we made the decision to stop all medication that mum was taking for her heart. This was keeping her alive and keeping her nightmare alive. As much as I loved my mum and as much as I did not want her to die, I also couldn't sit back and watch her suffer day in and day out with this torture going on in her head. So, after her last hospital admission, mum came home with all the equipment needed and we looked after her until the end. We had a care company in for support and community nurses. They listened to us and supported the decisions we made for mum. The last two weeks were torture for us. Mum was asleep for most of it and was pain free. We weren't. To watch your mum laying in front of you, getting weaker and weaker every hour will be the most hardest time of my life. To not be able to listen to her voice again, not to be able to have a cuddle from her, not to be able to ask her advice or dance in the kitchen with her. I never thought that would come. But it had. The last words that my mum answered back were when I told her I loved her one day. Mum had been lying in the hospital bed for a few days at this point and mainly asleep, but she answered with "I know". This will stay with me forever as I know in my heart, she knew I was there and that she was loved more than anything. My mum passed away on the 9th November 2025. I miss her every day and am angry with Dementia for taking her away from me and my family. I have been grieving for over 5 years since the day of her diagnosis, but have kept strong for her and my dad. Laughing, joking, playing, cuddling, kissing, going back to family holidays, looking at photos, just making the most of every day.
Now, 6 months later, we have gone through our first christmas, our first mothers day and my first birthday without my mum being her. This has been tough and I have cried many tears but I have to keep strong for my dad who is still heartbroken and lost.
Life can be hard but, I feel blessed to have had my mum and I feel cherished and loved with the time we had together.
Sadly, eating became a real issue and she would struggle and worried about it, but we didn't stop taking her out, I just fed her and she seemed ok with me doing this for her. Toileting then started and this really had an inpact on her mood and her wanting to just stay in doors. She didnt like using any other toilet but her own at home. We had to support her with this as she couldn't manage this alone. Sadly Dementia takes away privacy and dignity as tasks that you have managed all your life just stop being manageable. However, we got through it and fully supported her which she allowed us to do. I felt like my mum was now my child and all the parts of life my mum had taught me, I was now using. Caring, patience, loving, nurturing, feeding, bathing, all personal care, sorting, teaching and supporting a loved one. Never once did I feel I couldn't do it. She was and always will be my mum and I would have done anything for her. The last year of my mums dementia journey was hard, heart breaking and a journey of discovery with strength I never thought I had. To watch your mum suffer, cry, shout, scream and struggle is the hardest time of my lifer and hers. To see her standing there with her head against the wall shouting that she didn't know what was happening and that something was in her head will stay with me forever. To listen to her ask who and where she was and that she wanted her mum was heart breaking. All I could do was to try and hold her and tell her how much she was loved. To watch my dad suffer and for him to see the woman he had loved for over 65 years turn into a shell was devastating and still breaks my heart just thinking about it.
After mum suffered from a few infections and hospital admissions, we made the decision to stop all medication that mum was taking for her heart. This was keeping her alive and keeping her nightmare alive. As much as I loved my mum and as much as I did not want her to die, I also couldn't sit back and watch her suffer day in and day out with this torture going on in her head. So, after her last hospital admission, mum came home with all the equipment needed and we looked after her until the end. We had a care company in for support and community nurses. They listened to us and supported the decisions we made for mum. The last two weeks were torture for us. Mum was asleep for most of it and was pain free. We weren't. To watch your mum laying in front of you, getting weaker and weaker every hour will be the most hardest time of my life. To not be able to listen to her voice again, not to be able to have a cuddle from her, not to be able to ask her advice or dance in the kitchen with her. I never thought that would come. But it had. The last words that my mum answered back were when I told her I loved her one day. Mum had been lying in the hospital bed for a few days at this point and mainly asleep, but she answered with "I know". This will stay with me forever as I know in my heart, she knew I was there and that she was loved more than anything. My mum passed away on the 9th November 2025. I miss her every day and am angry with Dementia for taking her away from me and my family. I have been grieving for over 5 years since the day of her diagnosis, but have kept strong for her and my dad. Laughing, joking, playing, cuddling, kissing, going back to family holidays, looking at photos, just making the most of every day.
Now, 6 months later, we have gone through our first christmas, our first mothers day and my first birthday without my mum being her. This has been tough and I have cried many tears but I have to keep strong for my dad who is still heartbroken and lost.
Life can be hard but, I feel blessed to have had my mum and I feel cherished and loved with the time we had together.
Carla
My Dad was finding things difficult.. as a family we tried to help & support him.. finally we got Dad assessed in June 2018 . In August of that year we were given the results of Dad’s tests.. he had Mixed Dementia. 😞😢 We were all so sad & Dad bless him wasn’t really sure what was going on . Within 4 days of the results Dad was in hospital with sepsis.. Totally ill very soon & went down hill quickly.. in 2013 he was diagnosed with Non Hodgkins Lymphoma.. he never complained at all.. Went to his hospital for his Treatment.. Totally took it in his stride.
So in 2018 mixed dementia diagnosis & the lymphoma had also returned . We spent 10 weeks in hospital with him & 9 weeks in a care home.. Dad peacefully fell asleep in January 2019. We all miss him so much. ❤️
So in 2018 mixed dementia diagnosis & the lymphoma had also returned . We spent 10 weeks in hospital with him & 9 weeks in a care home.. Dad peacefully fell asleep in January 2019. We all miss him so much. ❤️
Janet
My wife and I had been married for 30 years when Betty was diagnosed with dementia. I nursed her for 8 of her last9 years, it was hard going but I did not begrudge her the time. One morning, near the end I went in to see her and said 'Morning Betty, its.Robin' To which she replied'Husband'. That spark was just that long but it made my day.
Robin
Our beloved step-dad was diagnosed with dementia a number of years ago, eventually we had to put him in a nursing home as it became too much for mum. It has certainly been the long goodbye. Sadly he passed on the 26th of April with us all holding his hands as he slipped away. He will be missed always but us now dementia free.
Angela Prive
Bill Chenail: A Life of Extraordinary Chapters
Today, Bill has Parkinson’s disease and is living with a Dementia. In his bedroom at Gibraltar Nursing Home there are photographs that give people pause. In them, Bill is young, striking, and effortlessly confident - a successful model at a time when the fashion world was beginning to take risks and find its edge.
Bill was born in 1948 in Casablanca, Morocco, to a Scottish mother and a French father who had immigrated there during the Second World War. When he was four, the family moved to Kent, where Bill attended a Catholic boarding school.
He hated school, especially having to say ‘Thank-you Master’, and remembers being struck by his teachers as discipline. What Bill did enjoy was English; he read avidly and began writing poetry in his teenage years. When he was about sixteen, Bill decided he’d had enough and ran away from school.
Bill moved to London around this time, embarking on the first chapter of his adult life. He wound up sharing a flat with Mick Jagger’s brother and describes those years as ‘very blurry.’ His girlfriend at the time was a model and she introduced him to the industry. Modelling was never something Bill had considered; he simply fell into it. The industry was still young at the time, and the pay was modest – nothing like it is today.
He was quickly picked up by the English Boys modelling agency and worked frequently with designer Ossie Clark. During these years, when he was based in Chelsea, one of his nicknames was ‘The Prince of the King’s Road.’
Being a model gave Bill an open ticket to the vibrant London party scene. He attended a few Rolling Stones parties and rubbed shoulders with famous musicians and artists. Despite these famous connections, Bill remained modest about his writing. According to his son, he has always been shy about sharing his work. He attempted some novels but mostly wrote poetry. It is unclear whether any of his work was ever published or not, but the act of writing clearly mattered deeply to him.
One of Bill’s poems reads:
I like to be on quiet beaches,
Eating ripe peaches,
Listening to the waves lapping
Onto the shore.
Softly soothing,
Liquid lullaby:
“Shush,” the sea sings,
“Shush,” she whispers
Into my ears:
“Forget your fears,
Forget your tears,”
And, for a while,
I am at peace.
And the infernal, internal
Dialogue is
Then silenced in
Me, by the sea,
The sea saying
“Shush! Shush! Shush! Shush!”
To read the full story on Bill's life, please visit: https://www.gibraltarnursinghome.com/bill-chenail-a-life-of-extraordinary-chapters-monmouth-care-home/
Today, Bill has Parkinson’s disease and is living with a Dementia. In his bedroom at Gibraltar Nursing Home there are photographs that give people pause. In them, Bill is young, striking, and effortlessly confident - a successful model at a time when the fashion world was beginning to take risks and find its edge.
Bill was born in 1948 in Casablanca, Morocco, to a Scottish mother and a French father who had immigrated there during the Second World War. When he was four, the family moved to Kent, where Bill attended a Catholic boarding school.
He hated school, especially having to say ‘Thank-you Master’, and remembers being struck by his teachers as discipline. What Bill did enjoy was English; he read avidly and began writing poetry in his teenage years. When he was about sixteen, Bill decided he’d had enough and ran away from school.
Bill moved to London around this time, embarking on the first chapter of his adult life. He wound up sharing a flat with Mick Jagger’s brother and describes those years as ‘very blurry.’ His girlfriend at the time was a model and she introduced him to the industry. Modelling was never something Bill had considered; he simply fell into it. The industry was still young at the time, and the pay was modest – nothing like it is today.
He was quickly picked up by the English Boys modelling agency and worked frequently with designer Ossie Clark. During these years, when he was based in Chelsea, one of his nicknames was ‘The Prince of the King’s Road.’
Being a model gave Bill an open ticket to the vibrant London party scene. He attended a few Rolling Stones parties and rubbed shoulders with famous musicians and artists. Despite these famous connections, Bill remained modest about his writing. According to his son, he has always been shy about sharing his work. He attempted some novels but mostly wrote poetry. It is unclear whether any of his work was ever published or not, but the act of writing clearly mattered deeply to him.
One of Bill’s poems reads:
I like to be on quiet beaches,
Eating ripe peaches,
Listening to the waves lapping
Onto the shore.
Softly soothing,
Liquid lullaby:
“Shush,” the sea sings,
“Shush,” she whispers
Into my ears:
“Forget your fears,
Forget your tears,”
And, for a while,
I am at peace.
And the infernal, internal
Dialogue is
Then silenced in
Me, by the sea,
The sea saying
“Shush! Shush! Shush! Shush!”
To read the full story on Bill's life, please visit: https://www.gibraltarnursinghome.com/bill-chenail-a-life-of-extraordinary-chapters-monmouth-care-home/
Ayla Melville
My Dad had dementia it happened very quickly ...it was so hard to watch my Dad change so much.He passed away 10th may last year .It was a very hard and soul destroying thing to watch.My Dad was and always will be my hero x
linda
My wife Carol was diagnosed with Alzheimer's 3yrs ago at the age of 54.
She also lost her mum to Vascular dementia 5yrs ago. A devastating disease that's affected the family twice.
She also lost her mum to Vascular dementia 5yrs ago. A devastating disease that's affected the family twice.
Paul
Mum got Alzheimer’s at 80 it started with forgetting little things I would say don’t get stressed mum try to laugh about it. She was my mum and also my best friend. When the illness became too bad for her to stay at home we had to put her into a care home where she continually looked for her family even though we went to see her every day. She passed away thinking that no one visited her and couldn’t understand why we had done that to her. It was tragic and sad. Her last couple of months she was unconscious and we never got to say goodbye
Nicola
Liz and I have been married for 55 years (My sunshine girl). Firstly she went down with Cerebella Atrophy 8 years ago, then Vascular Dementia followed by Alzheimer’s 3 years ago. I was her carer until 2 years ago when I broke my back. Carers at home were a disaster so she had to go into care in a secure in a secure care home - she loves it. Keep up research so others can find a cure
Anthony
Share your story
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.