Welcome to Dementia Talking Point! Find out more and say hello.

[SophieD]

Welcome to Dementia Talking Point

If you have dementia, or care for someone who does, you're very welcome to join our community and get support from others. Find out more about how to join and say hi to our friendly community on this discussion!

Finding out more

If you've got questions about how to use Dementia Talking Point click on these links below.

• You can find answers to frequently asked questions here.
• Our Help videos will show you how to navigate the different areas of Dementia Talking Point.
• We also have a Quick Guide explaining how to use Dementia Talking Point including logging in, posting, replying, checking private messages and searching.
• Also we recommend having a read through our Guidelines which are some useful tips and things to remember when posting.

Connecting with others

Head over to our list of forums to find people who are in a similar situation, people at a similar stage of dementia or an information topic that interests you.

Here are some tips on how to post a reply or start your own discussion...

1. When you're in a forum, look for the blue "Post New Thread" or "Reply" buttons at the top or bottom of discussions

2. To start a discussion, type a title, add your message and choose 'Create Thread'.

3. To add a reply just add your message and choose "Reply"

---

Any questions?



If you have any questions about using Dementia Talking Point, you can email us on talkingpoint@alzheimers.org.uk or Use our Contact Form - we're here to help.

Saying hello

This is our welcome thread - the place many members start. Our volunteer hosts and regular members are here to say hello to you and to welcome you to our community.

Why not tell us a little about your experience and how you'd like Dementia Talking Point to help you?

Whatever you're facing today, we hope you find our community to be helpful and supportive.

Sophie

 

[Nic B]

Hi, my name is Nic. I work for the Fire Service and have volunteered through work to help with a befriending service. Some of the people I will be supporting may have Dementia so have joined the group so I can gain more knowledge of people's experiences and be able to ask questions should some arise. Thanks for the welcome.

 

[canary]

Hello @Nic B and welcome to DTP.
Do have a mooch around the forums and feel free to join in the conversations.
If you want to ask specific questions, or talk about a topic, then its best to start a new thread. There is a wealth of collective knowledge and experience on here

 

[Izzy]

Hi, my name is Nic. I work for the Fire Service and have volunteered through work to help with a befriending service. Some of the people I will be supporting may have Dementia so have joined the group so I can gain more knowledge of people's experiences and be able to ask questions should some arise. Thanks for the welcome.

Welcome from me too. You’ll find lots of information here and learn lots from members’ experiences. It’s great that you’re finding out as much as you can to help you support others.

 

[nitram]

@Nic B
This information should help you when befriending a person with dementia

Compassionate Communication with the Memory Impaired

The following piece was posted a while ago on DSF and made a big impression on me. It is something I have referred to time after time and tried hard to follow. We have many new members who may not have seen it before. Yesterday I posted it on another Thread but thought it might be helpful if...

forum.alzheimers.org.uk

 

[MornaDB]

Just wanted to say hello. My mother has vascular dementia, she had a step change about 5 weeks ago and after sleepless nights, a fall, increased agitation and confusion, we have just moved her into a carehome. As you can imagine, under lockdown this is probably the hardest time to do this for her but we felt the right and only decision in the circumstance and desperately wanted to avoid her falling again and being hospitalised. Understandably my mother is struggling, we are into 10 days and have had some good conversations with her but mainly she is sad, confused and wants to come home. We are sticking with it but it’s hard. She has no idea how progressed her dementia is or the amount of care she needs. She has to be encouraged to stay in her room for another 4 days and then can have a bit more freedom in the carehome and we hope this may help her settle. It has been so hard as I feel I’ve let her down and hate her being so upset. Feeling a bit rubbish so any words of encouragement gratefully received.

 

[Woo2]

Hi @MornaDB , welcome to tp from me . I hope you keep posting as you will get lots of support here . I can imagine how hard it was for you to come to that decision that your mum needed to go in to a care home but you made it with the best interest of your mum to protect her and keep her safe , it’s always difficult but hopefully she will start to settle soon and she can move freely around and get to know the others . Be kind to yourself .

 

[Louise7]

Hello MornaDB. Welcome to the forum, you'll find a lot of support and advice here from others who have made the same difficult decision to place their loved one into a care home. You haven't let your mother down, you are ensuring that she is safe. It can sometimes take a while to settle but I'm sure that the staff will be doing what they can to make her feel welcome and once she is able to leave her room things will hopefully improve.

 

[Gorgeous Gail]

Hi @MornaDB Welcome to the forum. You haven't let your mother down. You have done what is the best for her comfort and safety. Take care of yourself and stay safe so that you can visit her in person just as soon as the lockdown is removed.

 

[MornaDB]

Hello MornaDB. Welcome to the forum, you'll find a lot of support and advice here from others who have made the same difficult decision to place their loved one into a care home. You haven't let your mother down, you are ensuring that she is safe. It can sometimes take a while to settle but I'm sure that the staff will be doing what they can to make her feel welcome and once she is able to leave her room things will hopefully improve.

Thank you Louse, your words of support mean a lot. Take care, Morna

 

[MornaDB]

Hi @MornaDB , welcome to tp from me . I hope you keep posting as you will get lots of support here . I can imagine how hard it was for you to come to that decision that your mum needed to go in to a care home but you made it with the best interest of your mum to protect her and keep her safe , it’s always difficult but hopefully she will start to settle soon and she can move freely around and get to know the others . Be kind to yourself .

Thank you for your kind words of support, Much appreciated.

 

[MornaDB]

Hi @MornaDB Welcome to the forum. You haven't let your mother down. You have done what is the best for her comfort and safety. Take care of yourself and stay safe so that you can visit her in person just as soon as the lockdown is removed.

Thank you Gail, your words of support mean a lot.

 

[Katrad]

Good morning, my name is Kathryn and I, along with my sister and two brothers are caring for my mum with dementia.
Mum is 88, she was married to my dad for 67 years. They existed as a declining single unit for many years now, living next door but one to my sister for the last two. Dad was diagnosed with cancer of the oesophagus about 20 months ago. His health declined steeply and my brothers supported them in their home over the last 6 weeks. So we had dad's funeral yesterday. Mum needs to move on to the next stage of care, but with the situation with CV19 and lockdown we are going to support her (by staying with her) in her own home until we can work out the best plan for her.

 

[Grannie G]

Hello Kathryn @Katrad. Welcome to Dementia Talking Point.

I`m sorry to hear about your dad.

It` s the most difficult time for you to make arrangements for residential care for your mum. It sounds as if you all pull together as a family to share the responsibility so well done to all of you.

I hope you will find Talking Point helpful and supportive and will start your own Thread so all the support you receive will be in one place.

I care for a person with dementia

This forum is for people who are involved in the care of a person with dementia.

forum.alzheimers.org.uk

 

[Zekkii7]

Hello, thanks for accepting me here, I really do appreciate it so much.
My name is Troy & I’m carer to my wife.

 

[Shedrech]

hello @Zekkii7
a warm welcome to DTP
settle in, have a mooch around and when you're ready join in by starting a thread of your own, folk here will respond and chat, offer ideas and sympathy ... ah, I see you already have done
best wishes to you and your wife

 

[Maggiejoy]

Hello. My husband has progressed this year from mild cognitive impairment to dementia. He will be 80 in June. I am 60yrs old.

 

[nae sporran]

Hello. My husband has progressed this year from mild cognitive impairment to dementia. He will be 80 in June. I am 60yrs old.

Hullo and welcome to the forum, Maggiejoy. Sorry your husband's condition is getting worse.
I see you have already started a thread, and you will get support and advice here.

 

[nae sporran]

Please ignore my duplication, I've only had one beer, honest.

 

[jennifer1967]

hello you find this a very supportive forum friendly and have lots of ideas and suggestions of what might help at each stage of the process