What I wish people knew about dementia from someone who knows?
By Wendy Mitchell
Wendy presents a refreshingly honest and positive insight into her life as a person with dementia. Repeatedly highlighting the importance of independence and the continued need to challenge yourself and explore, Wendy eloquently notes how the views of those without dementia can have a negative impact on confidence and how more awareness is needed in society to change this.
Wendy discusses the challenges she faces in continuing the daily activities that she enjoys such as her daily walks and even her love for photography. Rightly, Wendy holds onto these hobbies and is aware that these are needed for her to maintain her identity as Wendy and not a person with dementia.
Most importantly Wendy leaves the reader with a strong sense that a diagnosis is not the end of the journey but the beginning of a new one, one that can be both exciting and fulfilling.
This book was extremely informative and insightful and would be beneficial for someone with dementia, those who are supporting a person with dementia as well as the general public.
The book also highlights the impact that poor design can have on the ability of people with dementia to function optimally in their environments.
Sadly, Wendy Mitchell passed away earlier this year aged 68. An obituary can be read here: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/feb/26/wendy-mitchell-obituary