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Dementia Carers Count

Dementia Carers Count

By Dementia Carers Count

We are dedicated to family members and friends who are caring for someone with dementia. Through our podcast, we'll be sharing the stories and voices of family dementia carers.
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Series 2 - A Taster of Every Small Step 2021

Dementia Carers CountOct 12, 2021

00:00
03:46
Walk in my Shoes - Beth

Walk in my Shoes - Beth

Kate is joined by Beth, who shares her experience of caring for her dad, and the challenges of finding the right help when it's needed most.

Oct 20, 202319:37
Walk in my Shoes - Debra

Walk in my Shoes - Debra

Kate is joined by Debra, who shares her experience of caring for her husband, dealing with day-to-day challenges and building support networks.

Oct 20, 202312:49
Walk in my Shoes - Barb

Walk in my Shoes - Barb

Kate is joined by Barb, who shares her experience of caring for her mother, making memories, and finding balance.

Oct 18, 202318:54
Walk in my Shoes - Kelvin

Walk in my Shoes - Kelvin

Kate is joined by Kelvin, who shares his experience of caring for his mother, the unique challenges of being a Black carer, and his work to support the next generation of dementia care.

Oct 16, 202332:20
Dr Raja's Carer Clinic - The impact of changing routines

Dr Raja's Carer Clinic - The impact of changing routines

In this episode, our Head of Services Sue Hinds joins practising elderly and dementia care specialist Dr Raja to discuss why changing routines might be necessary, the impact it can have, and strategies to help those involved.

Sep 08, 202329:10
Incontinence problems and dementia

Incontinence problems and dementia

In this episode, Lorraine Haining is joined by Lissy Edwards to answer questions about incontinence and dementia, including the support available and how to talk about emerging problems.

Jun 30, 202317:58
Dr Raja's Carer Clinic - End of life care

Dr Raja's Carer Clinic - End of life care

In this episode, Dr Raja Badrakalimuthu is joined by Jane Stanfield to discuss what you can expect when someone you’re caring for enters into end of life care & how to look after your own emotional and psychological wellbeing.

Jun 23, 202326:22
Let's talk about identity

Let's talk about identity

"There's not a ranking system of who's the most carer."


In this episode, Helen and Dr Gemima discuss the value of being recognised as a carer, but also why it is important for carers to maintain their own sense of identity, and how to tackle some of the challenges this brings.

Jun 13, 202326:32
Dr Raja's Carer Clinic - Mild Cognitive Impairment

Dr Raja's Carer Clinic - Mild Cognitive Impairment

In this episode, Sue and Dr Raja explore Mild Cognitive Impairment, the difference between dementia and an aging brain, and ways for carers to stay healthy.

Jun 08, 202328:58
Let's talk about sleeping

Let's talk about sleeping

In this episode, Sue Hinds and Dr Gemima Fitzgerald discuss the importance of sleep, and the techniques carers can use to get a better night's rest.

Jun 05, 202330:02
A conversation with Sir Michael Morpurgo

A conversation with Sir Michael Morpurgo

In this episode, Melanie Blanksby speaks to author and former Children's Laureate Sir Michael Morpurgo about his life, telling stories, and the role of older people in our society


May 30, 202332:25
Storytelling - the great escape
Feb 02, 202324:36
Dr Raja's Carer Clinic - Dementia Symptoms and Diagnosis

Dr Raja's Carer Clinic - Dementia Symptoms and Diagnosis

In this episode, Sue joins Dr Raja in our first carer clinic, where they discuss the signs and symptoms of dementia and how your doctor will make a diagnosis.

Jan 27, 202325:18
Seeing the person, not the dementia

Seeing the person, not the dementia

In this episode, Melanie Blanksby, acting chief executive at Dementia Carers Count, speaks to dementia campaigner and former carer Tommy Whitelaw about his experience of caring for his mother, and seeing the person and not the dementia.

Jan 20, 202324:46
Tips for managing medications at home
Nov 21, 202223:39
The practicalities of returning to work

The practicalities of returning to work

In this episode, Sue Hinds, our head of services, speaks to psychologist Dr Gemima Fitzgerald and career consultant Dawn Newey about the practical and emotional elements of returning to work after caring.

Nov 09, 202227:26
Peter is still Peter

Peter is still Peter

In this episode, Melanie Blanksby, our acting chief executive, speaks to Peter Berry and Deb Bunt about what it means to have early onset dementia, living well with dementia and recognising how important identity and friendship are.

Nov 02, 202227:23
Spirituality and dementia - Carer Identity

Spirituality and dementia - Carer Identity

In this episode, Kate Legg, our  Senior Specialist Practitioner, speaks to Jane Stanfield, who as well as being an associate practitioner at Dementia Carers Count is also a chaplain in a dementia nursing home. They discuss how spirituality is important for both people with dementia and those who care for them, as well as answering your questions about how to stay involved with the faith and spiritual enrichment of a person with dementia.

Oct 26, 202222:42
The Benefits of Good Company

The Benefits of Good Company

In this episode, Helen, our head of campaigns, speaks to Lucy and Felicity from the Good Company People, about how their organisation supports people with dementia, and the challenges of building a startup not-for-profit whilst being carers themselves.

Oct 19, 202223:10
Rebecca's Grandad

Rebecca's Grandad

In this episode, Melanie, our acting chief executive, speaks to Rebecca Fuller, The Archers' Beth Casey, about her family's experience of dementia.

Oct 12, 202222:34
Visual Tools
Oct 05, 202226:34
Dealing with daily needs

Dealing with daily needs

In this episode, Specialist Practitioner Lorraine Haining speaks to Kate Legg, Senior Specialist Practitioner, about some of the challenges people with dementia can have with daily tasks like washing or eating and drinking, and how we can resolve these challenges and prevent them becoming bigger problems.

Sep 30, 202222:44
Reaching Crisis

Reaching Crisis

In this episode, Melanie, our acting chief executive, speaks to Helen and Gemima about the results of our carer survey and how carers can cope when they reach crisis.

If you feel you've reached crisis point or are struggling to cope, Dementia Carers Count is here to help. 

0800 652 1102

Our 0800 number is a free phone line to talk about the struggles you're having with a member of our team.

Sep 21, 202223:09
United: Caring for our loved ones living with dementia - an interview with the authors

United: Caring for our loved ones living with dementia - an interview with the authors

In this episode, Melanie, our acting chief executive, speaks to Gina Awad and Tony Husband about their book "United: Caring for our loved ones living with dementia". They explore some of the book's themes, as well as speaking about how the real life stories the book tells have affected them and their own relationship with dementia.

Sep 15, 202224:09
Let's talk about grief

Let's talk about grief

In this episode Sue, our head of services, speaks to Dr Gemima Fitzgerald, a clinical psychologist and one of our associate practitioners, about grief in relation to dementia. They also answer listener questions and share ways to help resolve and respond to the grieving process.

Sep 08, 202224:51
Music and Dementia Care

Music and Dementia Care

Music is an important tool in dementia care, with benefits for both the person with dementia and their carers.

In this episode our specialist practitioners Katy and Kate discuss how to use music to improve the quality of life for people with dementia by reducing stress and bringing back memories. They also answer listener questions and share how anyone can use music to help care for people with dementia.

Aug 24, 202225:25
Carer Wellbeing

Carer Wellbeing

In this episode Kate is joined by wellbeing coach and associate practitioner Andrew Embling to discuss simple ways that carers can use to improve their mental wellbeing. Learning about everything from ha breathing exercises to the lesser-known wonders of the outdoors, this episode of the Dementia Carers Count podcast really is a must listen for anyone who looks after someone with dementia.

Aug 17, 202221:57
Nobby and Dementia: An interview with John Stiles

Nobby and Dementia: An interview with John Stiles

Five of the 1966 World Cup winning England squad have gone on to develop dementia. In this episode, our chief executive Melanie speaks to John Stiles, son of Nobby Stiles, about the effect Nobby's dementia had on his family and their experience with the disease. John also talks about raising awareness of CTE - chronic traumatic encephalopathy - a condition caused by heading the ball in football, which is believed to contribute heavily to developing dementia later in life.

Aug 03, 202221:47
Carers Rights and Benefits During a Cost of Living Crisis

Carers Rights and Benefits During a Cost of Living Crisis

Recorded during our Facebook Live Q&A session on 16/06/2022, Helen and Jane discuss real-life examples of the challenges faced by dementia carers.  We cover the rising cost of living, Carers Assessments and power of attorney. We also look at the things you should consider after a diagnosis of dementia.

Jun 24, 202221:41
Series 2 - A Taster of Every Small Step 2021

Series 2 - A Taster of Every Small Step 2021

This is just a taster of what we have lined up for you during our five-day celebration of the lives and contributions of family dementia carers. We look forward to walking with you and listening to incredible stories together. 

Thank you for elevating the voices of the 700,000 people in the UK supporting a friend or relative with dementia. Thank you for helping us make dementia carers count.

#EverySmallStep2021

http://www.dementiacarers.org.uk/event

Oct 12, 202103:46
David & Terry (Every Small Step 2021)

David & Terry (Every Small Step 2021)

David and Terry are two of our wonderful family carers that took part in Every Small Step last year. We loved listening to their conversation so much that we asked them to come back for Every Small Step 2021, and we were delighted when they accepted. If you didn't catch their conversation last year, you can watch the animation we made of it here.

Ambassadors for Dementia Carers Count, David and Terry are active in the dementia community, and they are passionate about sharing their stories to help other family carers get the support they need. In their new podcast episode, you'll get to hear David and Terry catch up on how things have changed for them over the pandemic while caring for their wives.

Join David and Terry for #EverySmallStep2021

http://www.dementiacarers.org.uk/event

Oct 12, 202122:44
Hannah and Rebecca: Seeing life decades ago (Trailer)
Oct 12, 202101:53
Hannah & Rebecca (Every Small Step 2021)

Hannah & Rebecca (Every Small Step 2021)

Hannah founded The Joy Club in 2019 (an online activity club that provides inspiration for a more joyful retirement ), inspired by her grandmother’s experience of dementia to focus on increasing healthy life expectancy for all. 

Rebecca is the Director of Dramaworkshop, a drama school for young people aged 7-20 whose aim is to inspire and develop confidence, creativity and imagination. In January 2020, Rebecca released a poem about her Grandad’s dementia which went viral.

Oct 12, 202117:17
Shaun Deeney (Every Small Step 2021)
Oct 12, 202117:37
Andrew Embling (Trailer)
Oct 12, 202121:45
Andrew Embling (Every Small Step 2021)
Oct 12, 202121:33
John Stiles (Every Small Step 2021)
Oct 12, 202116:46
Giles Paley-Phillips (Every Small Step 2021)
Oct 12, 202119:39
Pippa & Trevor (Every Small Step 2021)

Pippa & Trevor (Every Small Step 2021)

Pippa is a dementia writer and advocate. She writes prolifically about the elderly, their care and its funding, and about dementia, which she describes as stealing her mum from her family in a drawn-out 10-year raid. She is also the host of the award-winning podcast ‘Well I know now’.

Trevor sits on our Carers Advisory Panel and is married to Yvonne who has young-onset Alzheimer’s and lives in a care home. He is passionate about helping other carers and since 2018 have spoken publicly at events and in the media about the very many practical aspects of supporting someone living with dementia. Trevor is a firm believer in early disclosure of dementia to family and friends, employers, banks and other powers that be because this generates an understanding and the creation of a help infrastructure.

#EverySmallStep2021

http://www.dementiacarers.org.uk/event

Oct 12, 202115:48
Lorraine Haining (Every Small Step 2021)
Oct 12, 202118:44
Yael & Heather: Always on call (trailer)

Yael & Heather: Always on call (trailer)

Yael Shotts is our Community Engagement Officer. She leads our team of wonderful volunteers and attends carer and community groups all over the country telling people about our life-changing courses and recruiting Ambassadors to spread the word about our work. Yael was drawn to our charity because of her personal experience of her grandmother's Alzheimer's.

Heather Brown is one of our Ambassadors and a true inspiration. Having cared for both her husband and her father with dementia, Heather has dedicated her life to helping others who find themselves in a caring role. Heather and Yael talk about their experiences, the little things that can help you get through a bad day and why self-compassion is key when you're caring for someone with dementia.

Oct 12, 202102:42
Yael & Heather (Every Small Step 2021)
Oct 12, 202119:27
Lorraine Haining: You're not alone (trailer)
Oct 11, 202103:10
Giles Paley-Phillips: The real Nana Q

Giles Paley-Phillips: The real Nana Q

Giles is an award-winning author, influencer and co-host of the Blank podcast. Giles lost his mother to leukaemia when he was just six years old, and his grandmother was later diagnosed with dementia. Giles spoke to us about living with grief, using kindness as a force for change and practising gratitude.

The full episode will be available on 13th October 2021 for #EverySmallStep2021

http://www.dementiacarers.org.uk/event

Oct 11, 202103:49
Peter and Deb: Slow Puncture (Trailer)
Oct 04, 202102:21
Peter Berry & Deb Bunt (Every Small Step 2021)
Oct 04, 202116:39
John Stiles

John Stiles

To commemorate Father’s Day, we recorded a podcast with John Stiles about his family’s experience of caring for his father, the legendary footballer Nobby Stiles, who died last October with advanced dementia. 

John is a former footballer turned comedian and an ardent supporter of Dementia Carers Count. In this podcast, he shared heart-warming tales from his childhood and spoke about his relationship with his father - the moments he cherished and the heavier stuff too.

Jun 17, 202116:28
Suzy Webster

Suzy Webster

Suzy Webster spoke to us about her experience of caring for her mother, who has a diagnosis of hydrocephalus and Alzheimer’s Disease. 

Suzy won the award for An Exceptional Contribution by a Family Carer at last year’s Dementia Care Awards. An award which was advocated and sponsored by Dementia Carers Count. We are incredibly grateful that she shared her story with us.

Mar 14, 202126:38
Shobna Gulati and Nimisha (Every Small Step 2020)

Shobna Gulati and Nimisha (Every Small Step 2020)

Shobna Gulati is an award-winning actor, dancer, choreographer and presenter, Shobna recently published 'Remember me? Discovering My Mother as She Lost Her Memory'; a memoir on losing her mother to dementia.

In her podcast, episode Shobna speaks to Nimisha, who cares for her grandmother, about the highs and lows of their caring experiences and shares an insight into some of the amazing work that family carers do every day.

Mar 14, 202118:44
Claire Goodchild and Juliet Long (Every Small Step 2020)

Claire Goodchild and Juliet Long (Every Small Step 2020)

In this podcast, Claire, the Chief Executive of Dementia Carers Count, speaks to former carer Juliet Long about Juliet’s experience of caring for her mother. They discuss the duty that plays into caring roles and the ongoing support Juliet receives from the people she met on DCC’s course.

Feb 17, 202120:54