Dementia Talk

Dementia Talk

By Olivia Brown

Date: 21st November 2023

Rating out of 10: 8/10

3 things that I learned:

I knew that older adults are more likely to get dementia but I didn’t realise that some adults can get dementia in their 30’s! I also learned that those who have a family history of dementia are more likely to develop dementia themselves. The life expectancy of someone living with dementia is only around 8-10 years, which doesn’t give them long with family and friends. Another thing that I learned is that I shouldn’t ask the person if they remember certain things as it can stress them out, which can be avoided entirely.

2 things I already knew:

I already knew that dementia was a general term for people that struggle to remember, think or make everyday life decisions. The most common type of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease. It is mostly seen in older adults and is getting more and more common.

1 thing I will remember or use in the future:

In the future, the thing that I will remember most is to join the person in their reality. We shouldn’t try to tell the person living with dementia that they are wrong, we should try to comfort them. I will also introduce myself and smile as it is the most appropriate gesture to someone living with dementia.