Yes! He's got Dementia!

Getting a diagnosis of Dementia for a loved one can bring up lots of different emotions for everyone involved - fear, sadness, uncertainty and even relief.

But sometimes the path to that diagnosis can be long and lonely and you might need help along the way.

We can provide you with safe, friendly, caring environments at Grundy Hub; a space to look after your loved one while you take a break from caring for them, to look after yourself or to get some jobs done, knowing that they are in good hands. We can also provide you - as a relative or a carer - with support, signposting to local support services and information. And this support will continue after diagnosis too, for as long as you need us.*

This is Laura's story, of her and her dad's path to his Dementia diagnosis:

"Yes! He's got Dementia!"

I can imagine everyone’s thoughts; now, why would any one want to celebrate the fact that someone has dementia?  Well in all honesty it wasn’t a celebration, it was more of a relief.  In receiving that diagnosis, we were able the get the support that we had needed for many months.

Six months earlier we had been for a memory test and he did brilliantly - scored almost 100%. Any other time you would be pleased at such a high score, but that’s not how I felt at all.

Because my dad hadn’t been himself for a while. It started off with little things such as forgetting where he had put something or giving the wrong change to people when he was at work - things that you just laugh off and say it’s because you're getting older, but soon life really changed.

Then day to day tasks became a struggle for him and I discovered that he

• wasn’t able to follow heating instructions on ready made meals - they were either still frozen, cold or incinerated as they had been cooked for too long, or not for long enough.

• wasn’t taking his medication at the right time. Although it was in blister packs, he had taken his medication for the wrong day or time

• had no concept of time. Days were nights and nights were days and he would sometimes ring several times an hour. One night he rang me over fifty times!

Over time, my dad became really reliant on me and only me, and he was becoming more and more agitated and frustrated about things around him. I really didn’t know what to do or where to go for support while we waited for an appointment at the memory clinic.

It seemed the longest six months waiting until that second appointment at the clinic. But I remember it as if it was yesterday, my dad being asked the questions and him looking at me as if to say ‘help me, I don’t know’. Each time he got a question wrong there was a part of me that was pleased and by the end he only got 3 questions out of 30 correct. It was bittersweet. 

Looking back what we needed was support from the minute I had concerns; people to talk to who had been through something similar and finding somewhere where my dad could be safe when I couldn’t be there for him.

At the time I didn’t know where to go, but now I know about Grundy Hub, with their knowledge of Dementia care as well as advice and support for relatives and carers of people living with Dementia. 

So if you or someone you know is in a similar situation to mine, why not give Grundy Hub a call?

Find out more about Pinfold Suite at Grundy Hub, specially designed to meet the needs of people living with Dementia, here.

*For help and advice on living with Dementia please ring Grundy Hub on 0161 253 6555 and we will do our best to advise you and signpost you to the Council if necessary. Alternatively, take a look at our resource page here.