When the grandkids came round, I used to feel torn. I wanted them to feel close to Mum, to enjoy their visit and make memories, but I also didn’t want her to feel overwhelmed or confused. What I learned over time was that crafting with Mum and grandkids became one of the gentlest ways to […]
What Really Worked: Crafting with Mum and Grandkids! Read More »
When Mum could still get outside, gardening was one of her favourite things, she loved to grow tomatoes and cherished this huge lavender plant that was in the back garden. Growing together and doing simple gardening activities with dementia shouldn’t be hard. She wasn’t planting full beds or digging up soil, but just being out
Growing Together: Simple Gardening Activities With Dementia Read More »
When you’ve spent over a decade caring for someone, the idea to return to work after caring can feel impossible. I had no recent CV, no formal experience to point to, and zero confidence. Yet within ten days of my first application, I was hired after caregiving for the last 13 years. This post explains
Hired After Caregiving: How I Landed a Job in 10 Days! Read More »
When you’ve been a full-time caregiver for a long time, your world can shrink. Not in a bad way, just in a focused way. Everything narrows to the person you’re looking after. Their needs, their safety, their comfort. And you find ways to cope with that. You adapt. You forget that your own life used
How Do You Return to Work After Caring? I Didn’t Know Either! Read More »
I tried water painting with reusable books for dementia at the beginning of our painting journey when I wasn’t sure if mum would enjoy painting. Turned out that she did, loved it, but there were days when Mum didn’t have much energy and these books were perfect for those days. They’re easy to set up,
Mess Free Painting Dementia Activity – Water Painting With Reusable Books! Read More »
Finger painting might not be the first thing you think of when you’re planning an activity for someone with dementia. It wasn’t for me either, at first. But over time, I realised just how calming and absorbing it could be. You don’t need a lot of instructions or fine motor skills, just some paint, a
The Finger Painting Kit That Made Dementia Days Easier! Read More »
After my mum died, I didn’t set out to create rituals. I was just trying to get through the days without feeling like the ground had dropped away under me. Some things stuck because they made those days a little more bearable. Looking back, I realise they became my small grief rituals, just quiet things
Small Grief Rituals That Helped After My Mum Died Read More »
