Caring for someone with young-onset dementia

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In Two Minds

Justine Pickering and Professor Julie Williams

13 episodes

8 months ago

This is a podcast that will help you navigate the complexities of dementia. It’s presented by two friends who come at the subject from two very different perspectives.

Professor Julie Williams has spent most of her working life trying to understand Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. Meanwhile, Justine Pickering understands the colossal human cost all too well. She lost her mum to a rare form of young-onset dementia before founding a unique respite project for families coping with the emotional toll of the disease.

In Two Minds brings you the highs and lows of the shared experiences of dementia. We’ll hear inspiring special guests and all about current research and future treatments.

Together, we’ll explore the challenges of coping with this disease and how to live well following diagnosis.

All content for In Two Minds is the property of Justine Pickering and Professor Julie Williams and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.

Mental Health

Health & Fitness,

Science

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Caring for someone with young-onset dementia - Carrie’s Story

In Two Minds

43 minutes

9 months ago

Caring for someone with young-onset dementia - Carrie’s Story

Carrie Williams talks to us about her 28-year love story with her husband Gareth who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and later frontotemporal dementia in his 50s.

Carrie and Gareth were both police officers when they met at a convalescent home where they were recovering from injuries. They fell in love, got married and had two children together. In 2013, Carrie started noticing Gareth was struggling to find his words. After an initial misdiagnosis of depression, they discovered that Gareth had Parkinson’s disease and had had it for 12 years.

In this heartbreaking episode, Carrie talks to us about the impact of Gareth’s diagnosis on the family, the challenges of caregiving and the resilience they demonstrated in the lead-up to Gareth’s death in the middle of the Covid pandemic and subsequently.

How Carrie and Gareth met and fell in love (02:30)
The early signs of dementia (08:06)
Receiving the diagnosis (12:30)
Coping with Gareth’s condition (17:46)
The role of family and support (22:32)
Gareth’s final days (26:54)
Life after losing Gareth (32:40)
Reflections on resilience (37:04)

We'd love to hear your stories and your advice for anyone living with dementia - or if you have any questions for Justine and Prof Julie. Email us hello@twomindspodcast.co.uk.