Losing One's Memory - The Ultimate Terror How Can Psychotherapy Help?

On 26 July 2010, I was invited by the Alzheimer's Society to join a Conference entitled ‘The National Dementia Declaration’, which was set up to decide upon future strategy for dealing with people who are diagnosed with dementia. I joined the Alzheimer's Society in 2000, shortly after my only sister was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease when she was still in her fifties, and have become involved with publicity work for them since then. It was a privilege to be invited to join this working party, consisting mainly of health-care professionals and Department of Health officials, and I tried to make the most of the opportunity by suggesting ways of improving the quality of life for both people suffering from dementia and their carers.

The first two speakers at the Conference were an Alzheimer's sufferer and a carer. The first speaker used to be a journalist, and, interestingly, he was the only speaker to talk without any notes and was both fluent and eloquent. He had recently been diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's. He is fifty-one, and therefore falls into the wide gap in the services provided. He spoke of his fear and despair and how he felt he could not go on without the help of a local day care centre where he was receiving kindness and support. He does not have a partner and lives on his own. At the moment he can cope fairly well, although he has had to give up his work as a journalist. His day care centre and The Alzheimer's Society are his two lifelines. He spoke of what he would like to see happening for people like himself and how he would appreciate access to help and advice from people to whom he can talk and express his deepest fears.