An Insight into Dementia: Audrey’s Story
Published on September 16, 2022
Puāwai reader Audrey Jennings bravely wrote to us to share her experience suffering Dementia.
I’m sure most people have heard of Dementia. It’s on the increase and frequently shown and discussed on News broadcasts.
What is it like? How does it present itself and what can the repercussions be? Firstly, it is a mental illness and can cause family and friends much anxiety and sometimes, embarrassment.
I am a woman aged ninety-one and became widowed when my husband was only thirty nine years of age. I have four children – two “home-grown” and two adopted. I am and have been a resident of the Horowhenua Masonic Village for the past thirteen years.
When aged about eighty-five, I began noticing that I seemed to be always losing things! Things like scissors, my favourite pen, a birthday present I’d put aside for a grandchild. The flat I occupy is small with not much room for losing things – one would think! Not so if you have Dementia.
As the months passed I began forgetting phone numbers, friends’ birthdays, appointments and even what day of the week it was. I thank goodness for the daily nurse who comes once each day to ensure I take my medication. I take that same medication twice daily – morning and evening and it always seems to be the night’s dose that a pill will roll underneath the stove, where I can’t get it!
Days of the week or month of the year – always blank! Again, I thank goodness for my good friend who gifted me an automatic calendar – a huge help – until it came time to put our clocks forward – or back! Then fortunately, another friend would come to my rescue for something else. The latest headache for me – shopping! What a nightmare! I often find myself buying a packet of something and on arrival back home, find I already have two identical items sitting in the cupboard! “Write a list – write it down”, say my friends. “Oh, I do,” I say, “but then I forget where I put it.” If and when I do get to the shops with a list, I’m doing really well!
Dementia I suppose, although not always serious, can become so if not addressed and is certainly embarrassing on occasions for the sufferer. Along with this there is another side – if I mention in conversation that I may have to go into care soon, I get replies such as, "Why ever would you need to go into care? You look so healthy.” Moving into care homes currently is often difficult as these days we are living much longer and needing more assistance than most of our predecessors.
Sadly folks, that’s just a little about Dementia – we‘re left with no choice but to just keep on going and get on with it!
Photo: Audrey Jennings (left) is supported by close friend Yvonne Chandler.