Dementia is a terrible thing - miserable for the sufferer, horrible for family and friends. Unless we are involved in research to find a cure or in funding that research, there isn't anything we can do about it. We have no control.
Where we do have control is our own reaction to dementia. We can sit back and sink into sorrow and pity, or we can accept it and try to make the best of the situation. My new series tries to shine a positive light on dementia and the idea came from somewhere very unexpected.
My son, aged four, only knew Grandma as someone who couldn't always remember him (or anyone else). Someone who spoke very differently to all the adults he knew and someone he had to shout at so she could hear his little voice.
And he loved her.
He loved visiting her, he loved seeing all the other 'Oldies' in the care home, and he loved the fact that whatever he said went down extremely well. By the time he was seven, he had started playing the piano. "In the bleak midwinter" was his party piece and he played it every week when we went to visit. Somewhere along the line he'd also picked up the expression, "Thank you Wembley!" We allowed him this outrageous display of showing off because he made the old people smile. They loved his innocence and we loved the fact that when he was with Grandma she was happy.
We are a big family. Visiting the care home, witnessing the various types of dementia, became an event that we all grew to enjoy. We learned how to accept everything that was said to us, no matter how ridiculous, and we learned how to accept the 'new' Grandma.
If there was only a way to project that acceptance...
It was through these experiences with my son and my family that the idea for It's Raining in Moscow and I Forgot my Umbrella was born. I wanted to share the joy, laughter, and acceptance we found in what many see as a heartbreaking situation.
It's Raining in Moscow and I Forgot my Umbrella is available on Amazon and the sequel, If I Got Fifty Quid I Could Rescue My Dad
is out now.
Reviews for It's Raining in Moscow and I Forgot my Umbrella
A Russian spy story for young teens with powerful messages about dementia, PTSD, and stroke. All handled with compassion and without feeling like a lesson. Bravo! – Teepa Snow, Dementia Educator
A positive view of dementia, filled with compassion and humour. A must-read for anyone facing dementia in their family. – EK, Herefordshire
#alzheimersawareness #caregiver #dementiacare #elderlycare #alzheimer @teepasnow @grandma
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