Creative ways to stay connected after a dementia diagnosis
Dom had always been close with her father Noel so when he moved into an aged care facility, she came up with some creative ways to keep their relationship strong.
One of her ideas was to create a book filled with stories about her father’s life which she read to him during visits.
“I thought, this is a great way to give him something to look forward to,” Dom said.
“It also helped me if I was having a particularly sad day as I could go to that book and just start reading from it.”
In the relationships episode of Dementia Australia’s Hold the Moment podcast Dom shared the creative thinking that went into keeping their relationship strong.
“He loved telling a joke so we often read from ‘the dad joke book’ I brought up on visits to him,” Dom said.
“Laughing together is something we'd always done together, and after diagnosis, it was important to keep going to maintain a unified connection and help keep us all strong through times of grief and worry.”
“The diagnosis doesn’t define me as a person”
The relationships podcast episode also features Anthony who, when he was diagnosed with dementia, didn’t feel like he had a close-knit family or group of friends to turn to for support.
However, since his diagnosis he’s not only made new friends and become closer with his three siblings – he’s also found love again.
“My GP suggested I should find social company by taking up a sport,” Anthony said.
“That was not something I would normally have done but I got on the internet and came across walking football.
“Getting involved and joining a team has given me a sense of acceptance and belonging.”
Anthony’s new-found interest even led him to finding love, meeting Kylie during one of his games.
“When I told her about my diagnosis, she said the diagnosis doesn't define me as a person,” Anthony said.
“She said she just wanted to get to know me more, which made me feel so wonderful.”
Supporting you to stay connected
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with dementia, your relationship may change and evolve but that doesn’t mean you can’t continue to show how much you love the people in your life.
Listen to the podcast: To hear how people living with dementia and their family members have managed their relationships after a diagnosis, listen to Hold the Moment on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
You can also listen to it on the Dementia Australia website.
Contact the National Dementia Helpline: If you would like support, advice or information about any type of dementia-related issue, including maintaining relationships, contact the National Dementia Helpline.
The National Dementia Helpline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year on 1800 100 500 or via our live chat.
