James McKillop
The latest family member, copying Maureen
Dementia • The word dementia covers all the different types of dementia. • Alzheimer's is the most commonly known one and accounts for sixty per cent of the dementias • This means the other forty percent are other dementias, such as vascular, Pick's, Frontal Lobe. Lewy’s Body etc
Were there warning signs? E.g. Memory loss Making errors at work Driving errors Confusion and inability to perform familiar tasks Orientation to time and place Change in personality/behaviour/mood …to name but a few of many pointers
Caution! Other illnesses can mimic dementia. Seek professional help
How do we know what signs to look out for? There is no training for the general public to know the early signs of dementia, so it can be difficult to spot.
Discombobulation Thanks to Trevor Jarvis
While uncommon, dementia can start in your 40’s, 50’s and early 60’s. You can have someone of 55 in the later stages and someone of 85 in the early stages. There are also childhood dementias.
Early Diagnosis It can mean different things to different people. My definition is being diagnosed shortly after symptoms arise. So you can have somebody of 55 being diagnosed late in the illness, and someone of 85 being diagnosed early in the illness.
What was the Catalyst? I met a dedicated support worker, Brenda.
…Luck shouldn’t come into it!
Person Centred Help Does it really make a difference? How did it help me?
Things I do now • SPEAKING TO AUDIENCES, SCHOOLS AND UNIVERSITIES-STUDENT SOCIAL WORKERS, MENTALHEALTH NURSES AND DOCTORS • TAKING PART IN RESEARCH • DON’T MAKE THE JOURNEY ALONE • CHAIRMAN OF SDWG FOR 5 YEARS SINCE INCEPTION • TOOK PART IN TRAINING AND INFORMATION VIDEOS • TALK TO, ENCOURAGE AND EXHORT OTHERS
• TRAINED THE SCOTTISH DEMENTIA HELPLINE • THE SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT DEMENTIA STRATEGY AND WORKSTEAM1 DEMENTIA FORUM MENTAL HEALTH COLLABORATIVE CARE COMMISSION MENTAL WELFARE COMMISSION MEETINGS WITH HEALTH MINISTER MEETING WITH SENIOR CIVIL SERVANTS
• WROTE BOOK AND MAGAZINE ARTICLES • I HAVE WRITTEN ARTICLES FOR BOOK AND MAGAZINES AND HOPEFULLY MADE AN IMPRESSION SOMEWHERE. I HAVE SOME COPIES HERE IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THEM • HELPED WITH TALKING MATS • PHOTOGRAPHY
• PHOTOGRAPHS BEEN EXHIBITED AT CONFERENCES AND MAY BE USED BY OTHER ORGANISATIONS
Furthermore • READ REPORTS FROM OFFICIAL BODIES • PTLG • LEARNED THE BASICS OF EMAIL • ATTEND CONFERENCES, SEMINARS, WORKSHOPS • MEMBER OF CITIZENS JURY • MEMBER OF QIS-ICP • VICE CHAIR AT EQUALS ADVOCACY • MEMBER OF SCOTTISH VOICES • UK CONVENTION • OPENED PEOPLES’ EYES • RECOGNISE LIMITATIONS
Also • RECEIVED AWARD FROM THE MILLENNIUM COMMISSION: – Resulting in Help Card being taken over by Alzheimer Scotland – Calendar for people with dementia
CREATIVE WORK: MUSIC WITH LYRICS I cannot sing, read or write music or play an instrument. However I do compose pop music using a keyboard with a memory and playing with one finger. Here is an example
I would now like to show a list of everything I was doing prior to my diagnosis.
Things I did prior to my diagnosis • 0 • 0 • 0 • 0 • X • X • X • X There are another three similar pages which I will not show you.
I would now like to show a list of some of what I am doing after my diagnosis.
• PHOTOGRAPHY • MILLENNIUM COMMISSION • CREATIVE WORK • NAT CARE STANDARD • MAGAZINE AND BOOK ARTICLES • HELP CARD / LEAFLET • VIDEOS / SDWG • ENCOURAGE OTHERS • HELPLINE • E-MAIL • SCHOOLS / UNIVERSITIES • CITIZENS JURY • QIS-ICP • EQUALS ADVOCACY • UK CONVENTION • OPENED EYES • LIMITATIONS • PLETHORA OF COMMITTEES
Outro
Do I represent all stages of dementia? No, someone in later stages will find it very difficult, if not impossible to do a presentation. I represent the early to middle stages.
Thank you for listening. You have the power to change peoples’ lives! I hope you have the will.
To hear music and see photographs, go to www.youtube.com, and search for “Dandelion Clocks”. It should be the first video, user name: jamesmckillop1940 Talking Mats: http://www.talkingmats.com Alzheimer Scotland: http://www.alzscot.org Stirling University: http://www.dementia.stir.ac.uk
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