- Hello, my name is Kevin. I am a First Nations advocate with Dementia Australia. For more than 50,000 years, we have come together to trade knowledge, to learn and to teach. Today, we joined to keep up that tradition. So with that in mind, we now pay our respects to the traditional owners, to Elders past and present, to those First Nations people joining us here today.
(Indistinct background chatter) - I knew something wasn't right and I kept saying to my GP, "I'm having issues, getting confused, constant fogginess". Well, the memory clinic, they start off by doing a series of testing, cognitive testing. All sorts of things that you fill out. General discussions with you. Psychologists chats to you about your experiences. You then go on to their findings from the cognitive investigations. Then I went for an MRI. They then sent me for a PET scan.
Then finally, that led to the appointment with the Neurologist. I was truly hoping that they were going to say, "Look, you've got some sort of cognitive issue". "We can do this medication". "We can do this." "Let's get this done while sorted." and "Let's move along" and "See you later". and "Off you go". And when they said, "We've reviewed your PET scans et cetera and, unfortunately, we can see that you have Younger Onset Alzheimer's". You literally could have knocked me off my chair.
It's as though time stood still, for a moment. (Music) (Music) Hey, my name's Jim. I was diagnosed with Younger Onset Alzheimer's. And as you might expect, life's changed quite a lot for me since then. I was never much into exercise before. But now it's a huge part of my routine and I'm trying to keep my body and my brain as healthy as possible for as long as I can. I've also been doing quite a bit of travelling.
My neurologist, once I was diagnosed, told me to create a bucket list and start ticking things off. So, that's one of the things we've been doing. We went to Ko Samui recently. We've got a, a cottage in Maleny. So, we've been having family times there. So, we've been trying to get these things that we want to do and we've also been focusing on this podcast, which I'm now hosting with you. - What a bucket list item that is. (laughing) - I'm, Hamish Macdonald, this is Hold the Moment.
It's a podcast from Dementia Australia. In the first series, Jim and I spoke with people living with dementia. We heard about the challenges that they face, like what to do when you're first diagnosed, how to deal with the medical stuff and the legal paperwork of which there is plenty. And, how your sleep might be affected over time. - I also shared a lot about my own journey with dementia and we even had a chat with my husband Tyler, to get his perspective on providing care and support for me.
- Even though he doesn't like being called a Carer. - Absolutely Hamish. - So, in this new series, we're going all in on carers. It's a topic close to my heart. I looked after a lot of my dad's care. He was diagnosed with Lewy body dementia and Parkinson's. He passed away at the end of last year. - Caring for people living with dementia can be really tough. It's a logistic nightmare and it can be mentally and physically exhausting.
- And I know you've said this, I know I've experienced it too, as a Carer, it can be really isolating. If you're looking after someone living with dementia, you might be spending a lot of time at home with them. You might be the only person in your social circle that's going through anything like this. - I would obviously keep my friends up to date when I'd saw them, but for me personally, I almost sort of said, I'll give you the update, but I just want us to be friends.
I want me to be 30 again. - It can also be emotionally turbulent. Dementia can change people and that's really hard to watch happen. - Shirley's not the girl I married, nothing is left of that. Yeah, that's, that's all gone. - So, on this season, we are hearing from Carers. So, how do you feel about people caring for you? And calling them carers? - Yeah, I, I, I, it's really difficult for me Because, I feel pretty good in myself.
And, some of the people that I've met through Dementia Australia have declined a little bit more than I feel I have, so I still don't feel as though I'm that far down the road so that I need carers, but I'm aware that I do need support in certain areas. So, Ty's resistant on being called a Carer. - And is there a friction point for you with Ty or, or with your, your kids? - I think so. I think they still very much think of 'just me' as dad, and I do a few clumsy things. And Ty's much the same.
I think it is, it's quite a difficult thing to actually change the name to 'a carer'. How about you with your Dad? Did you find it difficult when you suddenly went from son to Carer? - Yeah. I mean, I guess it was gradual. Like all of these things. But yeah, there was certainly a point where I realized that Even though dad is pretty cognitive and can have really smart conversations about things, he just can't actually land on a decision. - Yeah (laughs). - And... - That's a bit me now.
- Yeah, and that was a really complicated thing to navigate because you don't want to override someone that has clear intention and will and can tell you what they don't want. At the same time, you know that in their interests and for their safety, some decisions have to be made. (Yeah) And, it was quite, it was really challenging to sort of feel that you were basically forcing their hand. And you know, I used to try and think of everything like a dropdown menu.
If this, then that, if not that, then that. And it just didn't work. You'd go around in circles with that. I remember with getting butchers paper out at one point. Trying to sort of put a map of all the decisions in front of Dad, so that he could get to a decision at the end. But even doing that, We'd go back to the beginning (chuckles) And he'd say, oh no, well, I'll just stay here at home. And it's like, no, no Dad, we, we've gone through that. - That's not an option.
- You know, that that's not an option anymore. - For me as well, I'm starting to find, making decisions are more difficult and also planning is difficult for me. So, Ty steps up in those areas. I think the, the kids are also aware that, you know, if they leave it to me to plan it now, it's not going to happen. So they, they sort of step up with that. - I always expected it to be difficult, but it was way more complicated than I ever imagined.
Something that was really useful for me was actually talking quite a lot to a colleague. Someone that I sit on the desk with at "The Project" frequently, and who had experienced dementia with both her parents. - I'm Rachel Corbett. And I am, what am I? (laughing) I'm a media presenter. I'm a podcaster. I'm somebody who runs podcast networks. I'm a 'jack-of-all-trades'. - And a mum. - And a mum, I am a mum. That's true. - Tell us what your relationship is with dementia.
- So, both my parents have had it in different forms. My mum had Alzheimer's, my father had Lewy body dementia. Prior to that I hadn't really had any experience in dementia at all. But I feel, very much like it has become a big part of my life, but there's still a lot I don't understand about it. Which considering it's taken up over a decade and I've been heavily involved in that, that surprises me, you know? - And it's, for you, obviously been a big part of your life.
Has it been overwhelming at times? What's the (Yes) impact it's had on your life? - Massively overwhelming. Yeah. I think my situation with my mum, she had Alzheimer's and it was very, at the end it was really, bad. Like it was, you know, I say often people think it's like, Oh you, I guess you just forget your car keys. And, it was just so much more than that for my mother. And one of the hardest things was that she was still very present. Even in a really small way, right till the end.
So the way that I would feel about it when I looked at her was that like I, I could see her in there. It was almost like I was watching this person who was (trying to get out) Trying to get and she was, far away from me distance wise, even though she was standing right in front of me. But she knew me, and she knew that something like what was happening to her. Not, she couldn't articulate it. She couldn't speak about it, but she knew something wasn't right the whole way.
- So you could almost feel her frustration. You could feel it. - Yes, yes. Every single time I saw her, it was that sort of "get me out of here" feeling, this isn't me. And that to watch, with somebody that you love and you can't do anything about that. I think I found really, really hard. Yeah. - Just take us back a little bit to when you first started to notice some of the, the signs that things weren't right with her? - Yeah, she kept it a secret from me and my sister.
She knew something wasn't right earlier than she let anybody kind of know. So, we didn't really know a lot. I remember asking her to drive me into work one day. And she was like, "Oh, I can't, I can't do that". I was like, "Why"? (chuckles) "You're available". (chuckling) "You have a car, you know how to drive", "So, why wont you just get in the car and drive me to work"? And she kind of couldn't give me an explanation for why.
But in her mind she was like, I don't know if I can get there and I dunno if I can get back, you know. And I'm just aware that something is happening here. And I'm just not confident anymore. So, little things like that would happen. But she wasn't kind of saying, "I don't feel confident". And when you're, you know, mum just won't drive you to work. And you think, "Gee, why is, what is your problem"? (Background laughter) - What have I done? - Yeah, exactly. "Why don't you love me anymore"?
Like, "what's your issue"? It's those kind of things that you just can't kind of work out why they're sort of doing things, but from their perspective it's all a lack of confidence. (Yeah) You know, it's just that they don't feel confident doing things anymore. And they also don't want to say, that. - Once you did know, (Mm) What changed? How did the dynamic shift? - I mean, ultimately with my mum, her and I had had, not a difficult relationship.
But, I mean, kind of happened while she was sick as well. She did like to keep up appearances. (laughing) And there were some things in our life that I really wanted her to be honest with me about. Just in terms of my experience of certain things. I, I really just wanted her to, to kind of - Open up. - Open up. Take some accountability for some things. You know, some stuff had happened in our life and I, I felt like I was kind of speaking to a different script than she was.
And, so in my mind I'm like, "Is this? like, am I going crazy here"? Like, "I feel like", and so she wouldn't kind of own up to a lot of stuff and that, and I found that very frustrating. And then, when she started, you know realised "Okay this
is serious, this is something." She really started to open up to me about some things that we never talked about, that were all I really needed to hear from her, really, because I think she realised, "Okay, what's the point?" (chuckling) You know, like, let's, let's pull the charade away. Let's have a real conversation about this. And so, for me, I remember she actually had that conversation with me, the night before I was going to move overseas for two years.
And, the only reason I was going overseas was because of a lot of these things. I just wanted to run away really. And she had this conversation with me, And it was like, "now I don't need to go". (laughs) And I'm about to get on a plane tomorrow. And, so I think that distance was hard for me then because all I wanted to do was be around her. And by the time I got back, you know. Time, things are different. But as things worsened, we spent a lot of time together.
And, it was really healing for her and I. It changed me fundamentally as a person. I think a lot of the, the communication issues that I'd had early on where, you know, some of the things that I felt were true weren't being kind of validated. That makes you think that you're the problem, as a person. And then when that validation happens And you're like, "Okay, it's not me." (Yeah) Like, we experienced this together. Like, you are on my side. - That means a lot.
And, and do you think that, that diagnosis sort of made her review life in itself and, sort of, speak to you differently than she previously had? Like you said, keeping up this, this facade a little bit. - Yes. - And let her put a guard down. Because she realised this is it, you know? (Yeah). - Yeah. I do think that happened to her. And I'm so grateful honestly that it did happen because, it really did change our relationship. It changed me. She gave me the biggest gift.
Like, I feel after she passed away, coming through that time. I've never been happier, honestly. Like, because it really helped me to see myself differently. And I also think being with somebody like that, you know, who needs help and who is afraid and who feels safe around you, it makes you start to feel really positive about yourself too. (Yeah) - Because, you can be that for that person. - So there was a silver lining really. - Yes, definitely. - Brought you closer in a way.
- Definitely. I do think, I am very, very grateful for that time. I wish, to get that, my mother didn't have to experience what she did, because I think I benefited from, from that relationship and that experience. By what she gave me. - Just explain that. - I just mean because how it adjusted our relationship, how it gave me the opportunity to be there for her, in that way. I think that was a real privilege. And, just the way it made me feel about myself.
I came out the other side of that, feeling, just grateful to have been able to be there for her. - See, these things are so emotional, they're so raw. We should have had a big box of tissues... - I know, right? - Which we did not get to do, Rachel. - I'm, and I'm, I'm a blubber. I love a cry. I love a cry. - I think that... - I think we have to work together and they have to keep a box of tissues on standby (laughing) for her and her makeup artists. - I know, I know.
- It would be a nightmare for her. (Yeah) - Tell me about what you, actually watched happen to your mum, over time. - To be honest, it was kind of slower than I thought. You know, I, I remember people saying, you know, it's probably about 10 years between, when somebody's diagnosed and when they pass away. And even close to that 10 years, I thought, "This doesn't seem like somebody who's going to die in two years." You know? And then at the end it kind of progressed pretty rapidly.
But, I mean, the timeline's a little fuzzy. But, towards the end, it just really spiralled pretty quickly. And, you know, it was a lot of, she became quite difficult to keep at home. My stepfather was having to call the ambulance quite a lot. She was very violent. You know, she had not had a great upbringing and a lot of those memories were coming back to her.
You know, when I would spend time with her, she would sometimes take my hand and, you know, and say things to me and I was like, oh, you think you're a, you think you're a little kid again. She was kind of having a lot of memories from that time. And, that was also really hard I think because, you know, to be taken back to a time for her which was so difficult. And to have no control over, It's not like you say, "You know what"? "I'll go and distract myself with something else".
Like your brain is ripping you back into that time and you are stuck there. And I think for her that was really hard. So, seeing some of that, that stuff was really tough. And yeah, it was really just, I think just watching the out-of-controllness of it for me, you know. My father's situation was very different. It was a quieter experience. But my mother's was very, aggressive. It was very much like she was being ripped around in this situation. It was physical.
She, you know, would kind of bundle up in the corner and sort of rock back and forth. She would be violent. She would, you know, she really did feel like somebody who was being torn from left to right and was just stuck in the middle of it. - Was your mum violent towards you? - Yeah, yeah. She didn't mean to be. (Yeah) In, in her mind, I think it was just like she, it, it all felt involuntary. You know? It all just felt like she was just doing whatever her body was telling her to do.
And, you could see that she regretted it. You know, she knew who I was. She didn't want to be doing that to me. But, that was kind of how it was manifesting for her. - And often the nearest and dearest is the one that you (yes) lash out at. - Of course. - Did you, did you have any particular techniques that you thought were good as a calming influence on her at those moments when she was at her most stressed and angry? - I'm pretty good at a comedic left field you know, (laughing).
In the weirdest of terrible moments. (Yeah) I'm pretty good at going out with something that... - The gallows humor (with the) - Yes, the gallows humour (that's it, yeah). And my mum was very much the same type of person. (Right) And, sometimes, depending on where (it worked) she was, it would work. (Yeah) And a lot of times in those moments, you know, I would say something and she still, she still had humour till the end. (Music) - I don't know how you think about this now.
I guess, you know, when we are recording this, my Dad died just a few weeks ago. And I think I'm only just starting to maybe recognise the, amount that this was weighing on me emotionally and mentally. And really only just in the process. Right at this minute, taking stock of all of that. How do you, with the benefit of some hindsight, at least in relation to your mum, think about it? - I, I dunno how I still managed to get everything done.
Because one of the things I, I thought and a lot about my mum and my dad, is that my mum was sort of, you know, it was late twenties and through my thirties. My father was through my thirties into my early forties. - God, you had a lot. - Yeah, I, I used to say a lot during that time. I am living the life of a 60-year-old, right now. Because I'm taking, you know, I'm taking care of both, you know, I was the only person here for my father. My mum did live in a different state and had care.
But I was, you know, constantly kind of there, and, and thinking about her, you know? And I think that mental energy. I feel like the best night's sleep I had was the night she passed away. Because, I felt like I could just relax (Yeah). She's okay. She's all right. Every day, up to that point, I didn't feel she was safe. I didn't feel she was okay. I didn't feel like, you, I knew she wasn't okay.
And, you know, so that was really hard because you're, you're also feeling incredible guilt for being away, and not being there a 100% of the time. But I was really trying with both my parents, to, manage my life, as best I could through that time, because I was conscious, and I had seen a lot of people in that situation where they do give everything up. And I feel like that is an amazing thing to do, but I was conscious that I was, I'm in my late twenties, my early thirties.
My career is not established. Financially, I need to build stuff up. I want to have a family. At that stage I was like, I want to try and, you know, meet somebody. So I was like, I have to try and do all this stuff. - This is crucial stuff (Yes). - It's crucial because what I... - You get this wrong. - That's it. - It does just change everything. - And I did not want to get to the end of, my mum passing and my dad passing and think, it, now I have to start
and resent them for that time. (Yep) I wanted to be like, it's fine. This has been a really hellish juggle for me that I've almost not made it through, but it has been worth like doing everything at the same time. Because, then when both of them passed away, I was like, Okay, I've done everything I could there. But also, I'm like, I can go on. I can earn an income. I can have my child.
I can, you know, do all that stuff and I think after coming through 10 plus years of that, I needed a bit of time. I really wanted to have a kid. But I was like, I actually need a few years off because I've spent over a decade looking after other people and I don't want to look after somebody else right now. And, if I had not have done all that stuff during that time, I probably wouldn't have been financially able to have this kid by myself.
You know, there was a lot that I kind of felt like I had to keep 'up in the air' to make sure that I didn't 'crash' when it all sort of ended. - You've had a lot on your shoulders. - Yeah. It's been 'effing' exhausting. I've got to be honest, it's so tiring. I'm like, it is a lot, and there is a real sense of relief. You feel terrible for saying that. But honestly, after my mum passed I was relieved mostly because it was just like, that was really harrowing for her.
For my father, like I had spent the last, you know, eight years of my life, five years when he was in my care, still at home, but in my care. You know, and then when he was in "Care", it was exhausting. - How do you suggest Jim thinks about this? Because he's worried about his beautiful daughters and his son. (Mm) - And there's a lot of love. (Mm). And there's this desire to help, but then there's also a desire to, not burden people.
- Yes I don't want to speak for you, but - That's what you talked about. - What we've talked about is together... - And Ty, your husband as well. - Yeah, that's exactly how I feel. - I think the fact that you feel that way is in and of itself enough, to begin with. Because sometimes, like my father, bless him. Loves a guilt trip, wasn't the kind of person that was,
"Let me not burden you". (chuckling) You know, was very much the kind of guy that's like, I feel like your, (nor can you) Yeah, exactly. I feel like you're supposed to be burdened by me. So, if you could (Yeah, I get that.) give up everything else, you know. So, my mother on the other hand, was fighting something that was really had a grip of, of her and she was always trying her best. And in that environment you're like, I'll do whatever you want, to be here for you.
So, I think that outlook in and of itself is like amazing for somebody. The only thing that I would say that has been incredibly helpful, my mother was like this, but she kind of couldn't do as much. My father was completely the opposite of this. Is like, "Do what you can to help them to do what they need to do".
For example, with my father, would not have a conversation about even thinking about (a) getting people in during the day on the days that I couldn't be there just for me to have somebody to check on him. "No, not interested in opening the door to somebody. No, I don't want anybody to be here. I only want you to be here." So, that then puts an incredible amount of pressure on you as a person because you're like, Okay, well should I do, should I be going to work?
Should I be there with you all the time? Is it okay? You know? And then of course at the end of the conversation when he finally lets somebody in and he thinks they're lovely and he's like, why didn't we do this before? And I'm like, thanks for the nine years of punish. (Yeah) - It's all your fault. (background laughter) - So, it's taken me to get to the point where you're like, you see, "I'm not going to send a serial killer in to here to look after you".
I'm not going to like, just help me, help you. (Yeah). And communication in that regard, like you feel so connected to your parents. Like you seem like a very open, honest person. I didn't have a huge amount of communication with my parents. I wish my father had been like, Oh, I'm really struggling with it. Like the moments I feel we felt most connected was when he would tell me, "I'm scared". - And when he needed you, I suppose.
- Exactly. And there were a few moments where he would be really vulnerable and he would show me he's really scared. - That's what breaks my heart with a lot of it, and, and some of the stories you told us about with your Dad and seeing your Dad when he was so sad at times, you know, and frightened, and as a child, then you have to become the adult in the situation and comfort them. I think that's so sad to hear about and to, to watch for people.
- I know, and I get that you wouldn't want to do that, like to your kids, because I feel the same way, you feel like you want to protect them but, at the same time it's, it is a privilege. It is a privilege. (Yeah). It really is. Like, and I feel like your kids would feel the same thing. You want to be the person that is there for somebody in this situation that they love. Like, it's genuinely one of the things
I'm most proudest of doing in my life. (Mmhmm) So, I think that's an important thing for your kids to have. (Music) - Tell me about your Dad. - Oh, good old Ronnie C, Mate, mate. - God, dementia gave you a good kick-in didn't he? - Tell you what. Oh. Sometimes he would behave in certain ways and people would be like, oh, it's the dementia. I'm like, mate, he's been like this since 1937. (laughing) So no, it's not the dementia. Yeah. - It's funny you say that. because I'd tell mum about
my, my parents were not together for a very long time. (Yes) And I'd tell mum about things dad was doing or saying or what they were saying about the illness. And mum was like, he was like that when I was married to him. - Correct. (laughing) That's the thing. They're fundamentally still the same person, you know. And some of the stuff, like my dad, - You do have to use it to your advantage though sometimes, because I do say to Ty,
"Its the Alzheimer's", you know? (Yeah) (Laughing) - When, when it's appropriate. - Yes. So, my Dad... - He's going to hear this. - I know he will. - Truly, but my Dad, I mean right until the bitter end, could guilt trip like nobody's business. And I'm like, oh, you're forgetting a lot of stuff, but not how to really dig the heal in on the guilt, you know? So, yeah, Dad, it was almost honestly the day that my mum passed away my, I said my Dad picked up the slack. - Yeah, right.
- And, you know at that point I think he was more aware of the fact that he was kind of not managing things. But, also it was quite hard because my Dad was very much, a 'stick my head in the sand' kind of person. So, I couldn't really work out whether 'Are the bills not getting paid'? because dad just loves to shut the door on life and go like, "that'll sort itself out". Or are they not being paid? because dad doesn't know how to pay the bills.
So yeah, then we sort of went through the process of, of getting him tested and that kind of stuff. And, his was a much quieter experience than my mother. Like, I mean, he was always a very solitary person, you know, liked his own company. And when we, even when we moved him into the home, Everybody, the people kept trying to pull him out and get him to do activities because of course, you know, they don't want anybody sitting in their room.
And I was like, "Actually that's the happiest place that he could be, you know"? - He just likes it. And, and sure enough, anytime that they dragged him out there, he'd turn around and say to them, "Why have you brought me out with all these old people"? (laughing). It was like, look at the mirror mate. (Yep). - So he was kind of, quite, it was really more a, a difficult thing for me emotionally because he was just a hard person to care for.
And, I think sometimes when you're looking after people that you love, relationships are complex. You know, it's not like, "Oh wow, we've had such a close, wonderful, bonded relationship for years and now I'm stepping in to do for you what you..., - That's the dream, yeah. - What you exactly did for me." You know, sometimes you're stepping into a situation where you're like, well, I'm turning up and I'm going to do this for you. But, sometimes I wonder, do you deserve it? - You'd do it for me.
- Yeah, exactly. - Well, there's, there's obviously a lot going on here, different parents, different kinds of relationships with both of them. And obviously you're trying to make sure that you're looking after yourself in the midst of all of it. How did you cope? How did you get through it all? - Honestly, I do feel like I have a very high threshold, for what I can manage. What's the like, functioning, alcoholic version of this? (laughing) - Yeah. You're a functioning carer.
- Yeah, I'm a functioning carer. You know, like I, I just can keep getting things done. I think if, if they just need to happen, well, it just needs to happen, you know? And that's not to say that I'm not exhausted But I don't think I, I'm not really one that sort of sits there and wallows in the situation and is like, it is what it is, you know. And there are also, you know, as I mentioned, there are benefits to doing this. And I think the values of the person that I am.
I do remember having a conversation with my therapist. I had many over the years as I was going through this time. And that I would also say is one of the things that got me through, massively. - Getting support. - Getting support, a 100%. - Which Dementia Australia provides, is an incredible support line that you can call 24/7 and you can get access to counselling through that. - Yes. Having a professional to talk to throughout all of this period, for me was really important.
Particularly, the stuff with my dad because I found, because that was my responsibility. I was the sole person looking after all of that stuff. But I remember I had a couple of conversations about opportunities to potentially move for work, for life, for those things. And honestly, I said to my therapist, like, I do feel like I'm really giving up a lot here. And, I don't have any, like, I don't have much choice in terms of what I can do.
Like I could, if I've had some great opportunity open up overseas. - You couldn't really take it. - I couldn't really take it. To be honest, I couldn't really go on holidays for a long time, because I didn't have anybody here to look after dad while I was gone. So, I didn't really go anywhere. And, there was a part of me, I said to him like, Oh, I feel like it, he, he doesn't deserve it sometimes. Like, does he really deserve me "canning" this part of my life? (Mm). And she said something...
- I mean, it is the prime, that prime time? (Yes, yes). - And she said something to me that really, really, resonated, and that was, "It's not about what he deserves, it's about what your values are". And your values are, you could not leave somebody like this. And go and do something like that because you would never forgive yourself for doing that. So, it doesn't matter that he doesn't deserve it. It doesn't matter that he drives you nuts.
It doesn't matter that he makes you guilty every day for doing this. You are the person that wants to keep showing up despite that. And to say, "I can keep going through this". - In hindsight now, looking back. (Mm) Would you have changed anything? - No. Nothing. Nup. I'm really glad for everything. I cannot, the one thing I cannot deal with in my life is regret. Because you can't do anything about it. You can't go back in time.
And I was like, I cannot regret anything because then I will hang onto that for the rest of my life. But if I give this 150% and they both go, I can move on with my life. And that is what has happened. I, I just feel like it is a privilege. I honestly, I have no single regret. I don't wish, I mean, do I wish, I had a different relationship with my parents?
Maybe, but like, we could have, maybe we'd never talk and I wouldn't have any relationship with them and things could have been fundamentally different. Like I did have a difficult time with both my parents because of this, but it was, it connected us in a way that I might not have ever had if they were both well. (Music) - Thanks again to Rachel for sharing her experience of caring for her parents. - Yeah. I didn't expect Rachel to get quite so emotional.
I mean, I knew it had been a tough time for her, but - Incredible. - She's such a together person. - When I see her at work, you never really contemplate how much someone's dealing with something like this outside of work hours. - She just lifts you up, just the way she talks, you know? - And be able to keep a sense of humour throughout it as well. - Absolutely. I think you've got to hold onto that humour the whole way through. - Yeah. Critical.
(Music) Now, if you can really relate to Rachel's story and you want some practical advice about caring, there's actually a bonus episode which goes with this episode. - You'll hear from Kristen. One of our advisors on Dementia Australia's free helpline. Kristen and her colleagues are always keen to help out. And helpline's available 24/7. So, if you need someone to talk to. - They're the people to ask.
But you can also find that bonus helpline episode wherever you listen to podcasts or on the Dementia Australia website. You can also call the helpline directly for tips and advice. It's 1800 100 500. That's 1800 100 500. - Make sure you are following Hold the Moment so you don't miss any of our episodes on Caring. You can also go back and listen to series one, anytime. (Music) Hold the Moment is a podcast from Dementia Australia produced by Dead Set Studios.
You can find more episodes and resources on Dementia Australia's website: dementia.org.au The show is hosted by me, Jim Rogers. - And by me, Hamish Macdonald. The Executive Producers are Kellie Riordan and Gia Moylan. The Producers are Madeleine Hawcroft and Liam Riordan. Production Manager is Ann Chesterman. Sound Design by Ryan Pemberton. A special thanks to the whole team at Dementia Australia and to everyone who shared their stories on this podcast. (Music) (Music) (Music)