This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-52678471
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Coronavirus and dementia: 'I'm scared to go out after lockdown' | Coronavirus and dementia: 'I'm scared to go out after lockdown' |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| People living with dementia have said they are worried about leaving home, because weeks of the lockdown have had a profound impact on their confidence and abilities. | People living with dementia have said they are worried about leaving home, because weeks of the lockdown have had a profound impact on their confidence and abilities. |
| Teresa Davies, 66, from Flintshire, was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease when she was 59. | Teresa Davies, 66, from Flintshire, was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease when she was 59. |
| She lives alone and has found lockdown has affected her ability to carry out small tasks. | She lives alone and has found lockdown has affected her ability to carry out small tasks. |
| "The other day I put a pair of socks on my hands instead of my feet and put the yogurt back in the knife drawer instead of the fridge," she said. | "The other day I put a pair of socks on my hands instead of my feet and put the yogurt back in the knife drawer instead of the fridge," she said. |
| "I feel like my dementia is getting worse: I'm doing a lot more random things, like when I popped to the shop and realised I'd put on my blouse inside out - I'd never do things like that before lockdown." | "I feel like my dementia is getting worse: I'm doing a lot more random things, like when I popped to the shop and realised I'd put on my blouse inside out - I'd never do things like that before lockdown." |
| 'Like being diagnosed all over again' | 'Like being diagnosed all over again' |
| Ms Davies, a former landscape gardener, usually spends a lot of time on the train travelling around the UK to give talks on dementia. | Ms Davies, a former landscape gardener, usually spends a lot of time on the train travelling around the UK to give talks on dementia. |
| Now, she said she had concerns about her ability to travel and speak to large groups. | Now, she said she had concerns about her ability to travel and speak to large groups. |
| "My biggest worry is that I won't be able to travel on the train and things because it (lockdown) really has knocked my confidence. | "My biggest worry is that I won't be able to travel on the train and things because it (lockdown) really has knocked my confidence. |
| "I'm jumbling up words or forgetting what word I mean because I'm not as social as I was, which means I don't want to talk as much, I'm nervous about it. | "I'm jumbling up words or forgetting what word I mean because I'm not as social as I was, which means I don't want to talk as much, I'm nervous about it. |
| "People are isolated the moment they get diagnosed with dementia and going through lockdown, well it's like being diagnosed all over again. | "People are isolated the moment they get diagnosed with dementia and going through lockdown, well it's like being diagnosed all over again. |
| "And in Wales we've still got a few weeks left so I might be even worse then," Ms Davies said. | "And in Wales we've still got a few weeks left so I might be even worse then," Ms Davies said. |
| Michelle Nelson-Greensmith, 57, from Merseyside, who has vascular dementia, said she had struggled to think about life outside of lockdown. | Michelle Nelson-Greensmith, 57, from Merseyside, who has vascular dementia, said she had struggled to think about life outside of lockdown. |
| "I feel like I'm in an experiment," she said. "I just don't get it, I don't understand why we're in this situation. | "I feel like I'm in an experiment," she said. "I just don't get it, I don't understand why we're in this situation. |
| "I just feel scared all the time and scared to go out now and after lockdown. | "I just feel scared all the time and scared to go out now and after lockdown. |
| "I keep worrying I'm going to get the virus and if I see something online or on the news about it, it takes weeks for me to get it out of my head," Mrs Nelson-Greensmith, who worked for the Environment Agency during the swine and avian flu outbreaks, said. | |
| She has been able to go to the supermarket with the help of her husband, Richard, but found it difficult. | She has been able to go to the supermarket with the help of her husband, Richard, but found it difficult. |
| "I don't understand what I have to do and I tell myself I've got to go one way and keep a distance then someone goes the other way and I have to stop and think whether I'm doing it, then I forget what I'm there for. | "I don't understand what I have to do and I tell myself I've got to go one way and keep a distance then someone goes the other way and I have to stop and think whether I'm doing it, then I forget what I'm there for. |
| "All the new rules make me not want to go out really." | "All the new rules make me not want to go out really." |
| But for Masood Qureshi, 56, from Stoke-on Trent, who has Alzheimer's disease and fronto-temporal dementia, the lockdown has been a different experience, as he has been living with his three children and grandson. | But for Masood Qureshi, 56, from Stoke-on Trent, who has Alzheimer's disease and fronto-temporal dementia, the lockdown has been a different experience, as he has been living with his three children and grandson. |
| "I feel like I'm one of the lucky ones because I have my family around me and it's given me more time to spend with them and to reflect on this situation," he said. | "I feel like I'm one of the lucky ones because I have my family around me and it's given me more time to spend with them and to reflect on this situation," he said. |
| "But it has been stressful for them, I sometimes feel like I'm imposing." | "But it has been stressful for them, I sometimes feel like I'm imposing." |
| Mr Qureshi, a former factory worker and accountant, said he had been missing his support group and visiting the mosque during Ramadan. | Mr Qureshi, a former factory worker and accountant, said he had been missing his support group and visiting the mosque during Ramadan. |
| "In my peer support group we'd be able to talk about our deep feelings on how we're coping and sometimes it's difficult to do that with your family," he said. | "In my peer support group we'd be able to talk about our deep feelings on how we're coping and sometimes it's difficult to do that with your family," he said. |
| "I'm missing the mosque a lot because you've got your friends there, the whole community is there and it's a holy time at the moment, so not having chance to meet up there is very difficult." | "I'm missing the mosque a lot because you've got your friends there, the whole community is there and it's a holy time at the moment, so not having chance to meet up there is very difficult." |
| Mr Qureshi said he was not sure how lockdown would affect him in the longer term. | Mr Qureshi said he was not sure how lockdown would affect him in the longer term. |
| "I'm calling up my friends and I'm finding it's taking all my energy to just speak to people," he said. | "I'm calling up my friends and I'm finding it's taking all my energy to just speak to people," he said. |
| "And in the back of my mind I'm concerned how people are coping because we're all dealing with this in different ways, with our own frustrations. | "And in the back of my mind I'm concerned how people are coping because we're all dealing with this in different ways, with our own frustrations. |
| "I'm just reminded, every Thursday (when we all come out for the clap) that we're not alone even if we do feel lonely. | "I'm just reminded, every Thursday (when we all come out for the clap) that we're not alone even if we do feel lonely. |
| "I'm hopeful that the world will come out of this in a better place, society will be happier, and no one will take others for granted." | "I'm hopeful that the world will come out of this in a better place, society will be happier, and no one will take others for granted." |
| Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: newsonline.westmidlands@bbc.co.uk | Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: newsonline.westmidlands@bbc.co.uk |