(31st January 1956 – 22nd February 2024) Written by Philly Hare Dr Wendy Mitchell BEM – campaigner, educator and best-selling author – has died aged 68, after living with dementia for almost a decade. Born in Wakefield in 1956, Wendy loved school and excelled at many sports, including tennis and running. A quiet and very…
New research from the University of Exeter has shown that people who join a choir or play a musical instrument have a better chance of retaining their memory and thinking skills as they age. The research is part of the PROTECT study, which aims to understand how the brain ages and how to reduce the…
The Scottish Dementia Alumni, a group of campaigning friends in Scotland who each have a diagnosis of dementia, have published their latest booklet ‘Dementia and End of Life Choices’. The Scottish Dementia Alumni says of their new publication: “This booklet was an emotional creation, as we all needed to confront challenging concepts and our own…
Wendy Mitchell’s death has been announced by her daughters Sarah and Gemma – You can read the announcement here: https://x.com/WendyPMitchell/status/1760672737587236887?s=20 Wendy’s final blog is here: https://whichmeamitoday.wordpress.com/2024/02/22/my-final-hug-in-a-mug/ Reflections from the Dementia Community Team and Board: We are deeply saddened to learn of Wendy’s death. By sharing her experiences of living with dementia she educated, supported and helped so…
Following on from the 2023 ‘Hope in Ageing’ poetry competition organised by the charity Embracing Age, 2024’s competition theme has been announced as ‘Joy in Ageing’. The competition, which is open to anyone over 50, is inviting entries in various formats – poetry, art and multimedia. The organisers say: “We invite you to capture the…
The Times Health Commission has published a 10-point plan and report that looks at health and social care in Britain today. The commission, which was set up in January 2023, has been evidence-based and sought to learn the lessons from the best examples of health and care provision in the UK and abroad. The authors…
Bruce Willis’ wife, Emma, has announced plans to publish a book (currently untitled) in 2025 about her experiences as a carer to Bruce who lives with frontotemporal dementia. Emma said of her experiences of her husband’s dementia diagnosis: “For many people, their first touch point about this disease is received in their doctor’s office. I…
A study published in The Lancet Healthy Longevity has shown that NIDUS-Family (New Interventions for Independence in Dementia Study) helps people with dementia and their family carers reach personal goals. Participants worked with a facilitator to set their personal goals to live independently at home for as long as possible, and these were then mapped…
Chris Suich, whose husband Bob has dementia, has created a kit to help carers and families affected by dementia. The kit, Bob’s Brainwaves, includes ideas to support a person with dementia to live at home for longer, as well as important documents and forms. The local signposting that’s included is focused on Louth, Lincolnshire, alongside…
It has been announced by pharmaceutical company, Biogen, that Alzheimer’s drug aducanumab (commercially known as Aduhelm) will be withdrawn from use by November 2024. Biogen say this isn’t due to any safety or efficacy concerns. Aducanumab was offered to people living with Alzheimer’s in the US from June 2021, but was not approved for use…