A diagnosis of dementia in a family can have a great impact on their younger members. It can be scary and hard to understand.
Kids can email any questions about dementia and their worries to Kate and Harry at: [email protected]
Here’s a link to a short animation designed to help children understand what having dementia means:
Hi Kate, My Grandad has Alzheimer’s, how can I help him talk about happy times?
TIA James
Hi James,
Make a scrap book or a treasure box of photos of some of your times with your Grandad, you can put tickets in there from football matches you’ve been to, holiday snaps.
I made one for my Grandad, it was so cool, we could chat for hours. It gave us something to talk about when we both struggled.
Dear Harry, I am really scared that my Nana will forget who I am, she sometimes forgets my name.
Love from Kirsty
Hi Kirsty, I know how horrible this feels, it happened to me with my Nan. You just have to try to remember that it is only your name she has forgotten. She will still know that you love her and that you are keeping her safe. Try not to look surprised just say ‘it’s me Nana, Kirsty’ then give her a big hug!!
If you have any questions, please us email us at [email protected]
Young people are our future, we need to help younger generations understand dementia if we are going to change how society supports people with dementia in the years ahead
We work closely with a number of schools and youth groups with training programmes, films and educational projects aimed at raising awareness, reducing stigma and breaking down generational barriers.
We were based at our old home above Kardomah 94 when a group of young people came from Northern Lights Drama came along for a two week Summer School project about dementia. Some had a little knowledge about dementia through family experience, others only knowledge was from what the media tells us, often a stigmatised view of people we should pity and fear!
Armed with a folder of quotes from those living with dementia, their family carers and professionals working in the field of dementia, the student’s journeys began. They took part in dementia awareness training and met with members of Butterflies and other groups supporting people with dementia, carers and the cared for. They were able to chat openly with members about what it felt like to live fighting dementia.
Here are some examples of the things they learned.
Stoneferry Primary School are regular visitors to our weekly luncheon club.
Mrs Pulford told us “Stoneferry Primary School have been visiting Butterflies MLSG to sing to/with the members and have then had the chance to chat with them too, afterwards. This has not only been a fantastic experience for the children, staff and members but it has also given the school and Butterflies the opportunity to strengthen their community links. The children have absolutely loved the visits to Butterflies – so much so that they asked if they could then write to the members. They’ve said that they loved chatting with them about their lives and experiences and that it made them feel so happy when the members told them how much they’d enjoyed their singing. It’s been wonderful to make these links within our community and to be part of the Tuesday morning group at Butterflies.”
