I think my bubble may be bursting.I am living in a specialist dementia day support service.I am surrounded by rummage boxes,screens with calming seas,gentle cascading water features,pictures of bygone movie stars,boards telling me what day it is,pictures directing me to the loo,pictures of what is for lunch,smells of lavender and ginger wafting out of diffusers,dart boards,pinball machine,juke box,masses of curiosities and objects for me to pick up,stuffed toys,dollies,a piano and lots of musical instruments for me to play with,magnifying glasses,dominoes with big dots on,board games,kareoke machine,lava lamps,big print newspaper and a wii.I look outside and I can see winter plants,wind chimes swaying,colourful whizzing windmills,old tin advert boards and a morris minor car.I walk around and I can see potting sheds,vegetable plots and greenhouses all in an enclosed walled garden.Gentle music is playing.At the front sits a new mini bus.In the office there are shelves upon shelves of information sheets,books,all on dementia.On the office wall hang certificates of attendance on many specialist courses.On my desk sits confirmation from Sterling University of my place starting next week to study a diploma in dementia studies and a lesson plan for a new course I have written that the Alzheimers society need in order to begin an accreditation process with them to become an approved trainer.The gardener is raking the leaves outside,his dementia certificates are on the wall as well.I have offered my house free of charge to be used as a memory cafe and a pop in centre for stressed out carers to come in for a chat and a coffee anytime.Hundreds of calls and letters later the only people interested have been 2 MPS and 2 representatives from the Alzheimers Society are coming out next week.No one is listening even to those who want to help and make a difference.
