One of the problems when you are caring for a loved one with dementia is that ‘Nellie’ is missing. What’s he on about now you might ask? Well I’ll do my best to explain. It won’t take long to get you up to speed and that is the problem with this job – there’s no apprenticeship; you are thrown in at the deep end.
When you start any new job it is likely that an ‘old hand’ will try to show you the ropes; even if it how to pull the wool over the gaffers eyes. In my working life there has always been someone who showed me ‘how to go on’. In my first job, as a cost clerk, the previous incumbent showed me what had been his job. Moving onto the shop floor, to recondition cylinder blocks ‘Rattlin Cattlin’ as he was know, showed me the requirements of the fist op on the line. He eventually left and became a millionaire by setting up a chain of decorating material outlets. Not all of my ‘Nellies’ went on to do so well for themselves but throughout my career someone has helped with my induction.. It isn’t quite like that with dementia.
The familiar scenario is that you arrive at a medical consultation as husband and wife: you leave as carer and cared for one. If you are lucky you leave with a few handouts and advice to ‘accept the new reality’. So there I was about to face the greatest challenge of my life, thrown in at the deep end without ‘Nellie’ as a life belt. I am not sure how it happened but one day I found my ‘Nellie: Talking Point.
Providing you are reasonably adept at using the Net, Talking Point has to be your ‘Nellie’. This excellent Site gives you access to more experienced hands who will share their experiences of their journey with dementia. At any time of day or night you can pose a question and very quickly you will get an answer.
So the first step to take when you are on a journey with dementia is to Log On here:
Further suggestions on how to navigate your journey will follow.
