Hope and hell of dementia care

The Guardian chose to give space to the observations of people caring for a loved one with dementia

‘I wouldn’t have missed it for the world’: 10 things I learned when my father had dementia | Family | The Guardian

Hope amid the hell of being a dementia carer | Dementia | The Guardian

What we learned was that being a carer brings you closer to the one you are caring for, thankful for understanding and help from others, grateful for periods of respite – and you learn more about yourself and re-examine your own values and priorities.

The role of formal service providers – NHS and Social Services is exposed – for so many the services are hard to find and often insensitive and poorly responsive to experienced needs. The withdrawal of funding and the inadequate funding of what services there are, undermine good intentions. We hear repeatedly of the exploitation of professional carers in the name of ‘best value’. Modern slavery in social care surging since visa rules eased | Social care | The Guardian

People in our Dementia Conversations online group share experiences that sometimes threaten their confidence and will to carry on. They are living in the same world as that described by the Guardian contributors. But they would say – hold on and have belief.

Something happens and what felt impossible becomes tolerable, and even a blessing: intervention from Social Services against your better judgement, a fall, the challenge of what to do at Christmas, encouragement to take up the piano again.

Hold tight – and believe.

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Each week we post a blog from David Jolley where he shares his personal views on relevant subjects.