On the Fighting Dementia Podcast, Leon is joined by co-hosts Fran and Tom, who live with mixed dementia, and guest Anne Forrester, a chartered legal executive, to discuss why families should arrange lasting powers of attorney (and eventually wills) as early as possible. Anne explains how powers of attorney help trusted people make financial and health/welfare decisions, avoid social services or court involvement, and keep control for longer through clear, personalised instructions, including care preferences and end-of-life guidance.

She outlines choosing attorneys, handling disagreements, safeguarding via Office of the Public Guardian registration (taking 12–16 weeks), and the risks and delays of deputyship if capacity is lost. Fran and Tom share how family conversations and early planning bring peace of mind and allow focus on living well with dementia.

Resources & Further Reading:

Meditation & Dementia Research:https://news.med.miami.edu/worried-about-alzheimers-meditate-and-mingle-study-says/ https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/a-subtle-impact/202506/meditation-could-reverse-brain-aging

SURF (Service Users Reference Forum): https://surfdementia.org/

Alzheimer’s Society: https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/

Carers UK: https://www.carersuk.org/

Reddit Dementia Communities: https://www.reddit.com/r/dementia/

Powers of Attorney Info (UK): https://www.gov.uk/power-of-attorney

00:00 Podcast Welcome

00:38 Why Legal Planning Matters

02:08 Anne’s Dementia Story

03:29 Family Struggles Without Paperwork

06:25 Choosing Attorneys Together

10:07 Health and Welfare Decisions

12:39 DNR and Personal Wishes

15:16 How Many Attorneys to Appoint

16:49 When Families Disagree

19:16 Fran’s Power of Attorney Setup

21:44 Talking It Through as a Family

22:13 Talk Early Together

23:30 Power Of Attorney Steps

26:11 Safeguards And Registration

27:30 No LPA Deputyship Costs

28:28 Choosing Trusted Attorneys

29:34 Complaints And Investigations

31:40 DIY Vs Solicitor Help

33:05 Living Well After Diagnosis

35:17 Acceptance And Peace Of Mind

37:38 Insurance Policy Wrap Up

38:18 Final Thanks And Disclaimer

On the Fighting Dementia Podcast, Fran (Alzheimer’s/mixed dementia), Tom (mixed dementia), and Marion speak with Jack, chair of the Liverpool Dementia Action Alliance (DAA), about how he became involved through Dementia Friends training and how the DAA works as a Liverpool-wide federation of 114 member organisations.

Jack explains the DAA’s focus on spreading dementia awareness, improving dementia-friendly practices in sectors like retail, housing, design, policing, and health, and signposting families to support and activities via directories and social prescribers. The group discusses misunderstandings about dementia, the importance of “living well,” challenges for carers, and approaches like meeting people in their reality. They highlight young-onset dementia awareness (an event on 7 May at Central Library), work with diverse communities, and a key achievement: informing Liverpool’s 2019–2024 dementia action plan, including creating respite beds for carers.

Resources & Further Reading:

Meditation & Dementia Research:https://news.med.miami.edu/worried-about-alzheimers-meditate-and-mingle-study-says/ https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/a-subtle-impact/202506/meditation-could-reverse-brain-aging

SURF (Service Users Reference Forum): https://surfdementia.org/

Alzheimer’s Society: https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/

Carers UK: https://www.carersuk.org/

Reddit Dementia Communities: https://www.reddit.com/r/dementia/

Powers of Attorney Info (UK): https://www.gov.uk/power-of-attorney

00:00 Welcome and Introductions

01:04 Meet Jack and the Big Question

01:49 How Jack Joined the DAA

04:48 Dementia Myths and Realities

08:00 What the DAA Actually Does

10:17 Dementia Friendly Design and Housing

12:14 Retail Training and Shop Stickers

16:56 Young Onset Awareness Event

20:08 Signposting Support and New Charity

23:57 Spreading Beyond Liverpool

28:19 GP Training and Better Diagnosis

31:08 Living Beyond Diagnosis

31:54 Finding Support Networks

32:45 Staying Active With Purpose

34:11 Kind Communication Strategies

35:19 Compassionate Distraction

38:14 What DAA Actually Is

40:09 Reaching Diverse Communities

42:10 Biggest Wins And Impact

46:49 Unequal Care By Postcode

48:19 Navigators And Advocacy

51:31 How To Volunteer

53:11 Hearing And The Senses

55:14 Every Dementia Is Different

58:28 Closing Thoughts And Outro

In this episode, the hosts discuss behaviour change with Tom, who lives with dementia, focusing on how hard it can be to build habits like drinking more water and adjusting diet. Tom explains that he often forgets to drink, even during cycling or long periods of focused activity like painting or building a racing simulator, and he questions the point of changing habits given his diagnosis, despite acknowledging water could help with cognition, concentration, exercise, and fatigue. The conversation also covers Tom’s sugar intake, his preference for sweet tastes due to reduced taste, and his view that an active lifestyle offsets diet choices. A later segment reflects on a music therapy discussion about how music can reach people in ways words can’t; Tom shares how music lifts his mood and what he likes to listen to.

Resources & Further Reading:

Meditation & Dementia Research:https://news.med.miami.edu/worried-about-alzheimers-meditate-and-mingle-study-says/ https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/a-subtle-impact/202506/meditation-could-reverse-brain-aging

SURF (Service Users Reference Forum): https://surfdementia.org/

Alzheimer’s Society: https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/

Carers UK: https://www.carersuk.org/

Reddit Dementia Communities: https://www.reddit.com/r/dementia/

Powers of Attorney Info (UK): https://www.gov.uk/power-of-attorney

Chapters:

00:00 Welcome and Setup

00:21 Why Water Is Hard

01:46 Hydration and Fatigue

03:06 Reminders and Friction

03:46 Diet and Sugar Debate

06:03 Taste Loss and Sweetness

07:39 Motivation to Change

08:34 Staying Active Mindset

09:48 Sugar Burning Off Argument

12:20 Music Therapy Clip

13:30 Tom on Music and Mood

15:18 Wrap Up and Thanks

Leon catches up with Marian, Tom’s wife and co-host, on how behavior changes have gone as Tom’s dementia progresses, focusing on hydration, diet, routines, and learning new skills. Marian says Tom enjoys painting and golf, but finds drinking enough water harder, using Alexa reminders, fridge stickers, and bottled water visibility to help. They discuss taste changes driving a sweet tooth, small diet shifts like moving from white to brown bread, and balancing enjoyment with healthy choices. Marian believes behaviour change is still possible eight years after diagnosis if the person wants it, noting Tom’s motivation and the podcast giving him purpose and lifting his mood during fatigue. She also shares practical support tips: routines, prompts, and doing tasks like cooking together as he struggles to follow recipes and read steps.

Resources & Further Reading:

Meditation & Dementia Research:https://news.med.miami.edu/worried-about-alzheimers-meditate-and-mingle-study-says/ https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/a-subtle-impact/202506/meditation-could-reverse-brain-aging

SURF (Service Users Reference Forum): https://surfdementia.org/

Alzheimer’s Society: https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/

Carers UK: https://www.carersuk.org/

Reddit Dementia Communities: https://www.reddit.com/r/dementia/

Powers of Attorney Info (UK): https://www.gov.uk/power-of-attorney

Chapters:

00:00 Welcome and catch up

00:50 Diet and sweet cravings

02:30 Getting more water

03:52 Hobbies versus habits

05:21 Balancing enjoyment and health

07:07 Can change still happen

07:42 Acceptance and denial

09:08 Podcast as purpose

11:09 Subscribe and support

11:39 Living in the present

12:39 Tea making and recipes

13:54 Routines and reminders

15:45 Final thanks and disclaimer

In this episode, the host catches up with Fran about behaviour change months after focusing on habits like drinking more water, improving sleep, and learning new skills. Fran shares that a type 2 diabetes diagnosis pushed her to take diet and hydration more seriously, cutting back on high carbs, sugar, processed foods, and snacks like chocolate and crisps, while aiming for an “80/20” balance and using an app that rates how processed foods (and cosmetics) are. She describes feeling better, losing weight, walking more, and noticing improved sleep when eating less “rubbish.” The conversation also covers the importance of purpose and staying mentally active with dementia, and Fran explains recent sundowning symptoms, how she recognizes them, and how she retrains herself to keep going rather than stop.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=io.yuka.android

Chapters:

00:00 Welcome and catch-up

00:50 Diabetes wake-up call

02:12 Diet swaps and treats

04:22 Using an app to shop smarter

06:04 Support at home and hydration

08:30 Sleep, sugar, and slip-ups

11:34 Why purpose keeps you going

13:24 Understanding sundowning

16:05 Coping strategies and pacing

18:23 Final thoughts and disclaimer

Dave Bellis of Radfield Home Care, a domiciliary home care franchise in northwest England, explains how his company supports around 80 people at home across areas including Waterloo, Crosby, Sefton, Southport and Formby, and how clients find them through word of mouth, advertising, and local authority links rather than dementia-specific referrals. He shares why he left a 30-year corporate accounting career after redundancy and his parents’ dementia experience, and describes the challenges of setting up a regulated service and building staffing capacity.

The discussion covers benefits of staying at home with dementia, including familiarity and avoiding separation, plus live-in care as an option for couples. They outline tailored services (medication, meals, personal care, community outings), the importance of continuity and dementia training, advice to start small and build care, and the impact of caregiver burnout, loneliness, denial, and the need for early family conversations and diagnosis.

Chapters:

00:00 Meet Dave

00:44 Referrals and Access

05:38 Starting a Care Business

07:34 Why Home Helps Dementia

16:16 Choosing Care Advice

20:14 Diagnosis Barriers

23:22 Family Support Strain

26:20 Independence Matters

30:42 Training And Communication

35:30 Acceptance Beats Stigma

37:12 Final Thanks And Outro

In this episode, we continue the discussion from last week about the importance of routines, especially for those living with dementia. Hosts Tom, Fran, and their partners Mary and Frank share personal experiences on how maintaining a routine helps them manage daily life and cognitive function.

We talk about the disruptive impact of festive seasons like Christmas on their routines and how they adapt to changes. The episode also explores practical tips like using diaries for planning, engaging in activities to stay mentally active, and the significance of having a supportive community. Whether dealing with dementia or supporting someone who is, this episode offers valuable insights for all.

Resources & Further Reading:

Meditation & Dementia Research:https://news.med.miami.edu/worried-about-alzheimers-meditate-and-mingle-study-says/ https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/a-subtle-impact/202506/meditation-could-reverse-brain-aging

SURF (Service Users Reference Forum): https://surfdementia.org/

Alzheimer’s Society: https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/

Carers UK: https://www.carersuk.org/

Reddit Dementia Communities: https://www.reddit.com/r/dementia/

Powers of Attorney Info (UK): https://www.gov.uk/power-of-attorney

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction

00:55 Christmas and Routine Disruptions

02:17 Managing Daily Routines

04:24 Work and Routine Structure

06:30 Living in the Moment

10:26 Energy Management

13:27 Exploring New Hobbies and Skills

14:01 The Joy of Painting by Numbers

15:12 Engaging in Creative Activities

16:33 The Importance of Routine

18:40 Staying Active with Dementia

19:41 Final Thoughts and Reflections

In this episode of the Fighting Dementia Podcast, we are joined by Frank and Marion, partners of Tom and Fran, as we discuss the significance of maintaining routines for those living with dementia. With the aftermath of the Christmas holiday season as a backdrop, our guests share their experiences and challenges in managing daily routines. We dive into how disruptions during holiday periods can lead to increased agitation and exhaustion, emphasising the need for structure and predictability. Additionally, we touch on the importance of self-care for those supporting people with dementia, discussing the balance between caregiving duties and personal well-being. Frank and Marion provide valuable insights from their years of experience, highlighting the benefits of acceptance, the role of community, and the everyday strategies that support both the caregivers and those living with dementia. Join us for this heartfelt conversation as we explore practical ways to foster a balanced life amidst the complexities of dementia care.

Resources & Further Reading:

Meditation & Dementia Research:https://news.med.miami.edu/worried-about-alzheimers-meditate-and-mingle-study-says/ https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/a-subtle-impact/202506/meditation-could-reverse-brain-aging

SURF (Service Users Reference Forum): https://surfdementia.org/

Alzheimer’s Society: https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/

Carers UK: https://www.carersuk.org/

Reddit Dementia Communities: https://www.reddit.com/r/dementia/

Powers of Attorney Info (UK): https://www.gov.uk/power-of-attorney

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to the Podcast

00:24 Discussing the Importance of Routines

01:47 Challenges of Maintaining Routines

03:57 Personal Routines and Self-Care

06:25 Balancing Caregiving and Personal Time

13:03 Managing Schedules and Routine Changes

15:03 Managing Energy Levels in Dementia Care

16:48 Understanding the Disconnect Between Mind and Body

18:25 Words of Wisdom for Dementia Caregivers

22:13 Changing Perceptions: From Carer to Supporter

27:58 Concluding Thoughts and Podcast Outro

Welcome to the latest episode of the Fighting Dementia Podcast, where hosts Leon, Tom, and Fran share their personal experiences and insights into living with dementia. Joined by Tom's wife Marion, they discuss the significance of adopting new skills and hobbies for brain health and emotional well-being. Hear inspiring stories of painting, polygraphy, golf, and even candle making, and learn how these activities can bring moments of joy and fulfillment. This episode emphasises living in the moment, tackling the challenges of dementia head-on, and the importance of staying mentally active. Tune in for an uplifting conversation on managing dementia, from diagnosis to daily life, filled with practical advice and heartfelt moments.

Resources & Further Reading:

Meditation & Dementia Research:https://news.med.miami.edu/worried-about-alzheimers-meditate-and-mingle-study-says/ https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/a-subtle-impact/202506/meditation-could-reverse-brain-aging

SURF (Service Users Reference Forum): https://surfdementia.org/

Alzheimer’s Society: https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/

Carers UK: https://www.carersuk.org/

Reddit Dementia Communities: https://www.reddit.com/r/dementia/

Powers of Attorney Info (UK): https://www.gov.uk/power-of-attorney

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to the Fighting Dementia Podcast

00:35 The Importance of Learning New Skills

00:55 Tom's Experience with Polygraphy and Painting

01:30 Fran's Artistic Journey

05:02 Marian's Hobbies and Interests

07:09 Tom and Fran on Trying New Things

12:22 The Value of Trying New Activities

13:16 Reminiscence Corner

13:40 Embracing the Moment

14:05 Living in the Present

15:06 Coping with Diagnosis

15:55 Challenges and Acceptance

16:46 Support and Understanding

18:04 Planning for the Future

19:23 Raising Awareness

20:19 The Importance of Early Diagnosis

25:40 Final Thoughts and Reflections

Leon hosts Tom and Fran - both living well with dementia (Tom diagnosed 8 years ago, Fran 6 years ago) - alongside guest Grahame Smith, Associate Professor in Mental Health Innovation, to discuss brain health, neurodegeneration, and practical ways to live positively with dementia. The episode highlights Tom’s detailed painting of a ship in a cove (completed over three weeks) and how learning new skills like painting, carving wood, dancing, or joining a choir can support brain health by building new neural connections rather than relying on old pathways. Fran shares starting paint-by-numbers, how it sparked childhood memories, and a humorous near shoplifting incident while buying art supplies.

Resources & Further Reading:

Meditation & Dementia Research:https://news.med.miami.edu/worried-about-alzheimers-meditate-and-mingle-study-says/ https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/a-subtle-impact/202506/meditation-could-reverse-brain-aging

SURF (Service Users Reference Forum): https://surfdementia.org/

Alzheimer’s Society: https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/

Carers UK: https://www.carersuk.org/

Reddit Dementia Communities: https://www.reddit.com/r/dementia/

Powers of Attorney Info (UK): https://www.gov.uk/power-of-attorney

Chapters:

00:00 Welcome to the Podcast

03:21 Fran Tries Paint-by-Numbers: Memories, Laughter, and Getting Started

06:06 Hands, Movement & Touch: Motor Skills, Dancing, and Staying Active

10:12 Living Well With Dementia: Changing Behaviours, Social Connection, and Support Networks

15:36 Identity, Grief, and the ‘Self’: A Zen/Buddhist Lens + Tech, AI, and Memory

18:20 Subscribe & Community Mission + Living for the Moment (Peter’s Story)

20:01 Mindfulness Myths vs Being Present: Breaking Out of the ‘Box’ at Any Age

23:06 Diagnosis as a Wake‑Up Call: Changing Attitudes & Behavior

24:56 “Is Dementia You?” Identity, Labels, and Redefining Your Life

29:29 Routines for Brain Health: Cognitive Rehearsal (and When to Break the Routine)

32:50 Social Connection vs Sedentary Habits: TV, Tech, and Staying Engaged

36:42 Reminiscence Corner: Overstimulation in Crowds & How to Cope

45:43 Wrap‑Up, Thanks, and Listener Reminder to Do Your Own Research