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Caring for my mother diagnosed with dementia

When my mother was diagnosed with dementia I didn’t have a clue what was in front of me. I didn’t know anyone with this condition; no one in my family apart from my grandmother had lived long enough to experience it. The only grandmother I knew lived to 100 years and was a bright and a ‘still with it’ older lady, right up to her death.

As my mother’s disease progressed I tried with my limited spare time to research dementia. This was 17 years ago, even the care workers who came into our home had very limited knowledge.

As time went by I learnt to pick my battles, (not battles with my mum) battles with new situations. There were days I tried talking to her, I would show Mum photos of family and places. I tried lying when needed, I distracted her when possible or I tried to go on her journey in the moment.