Navigating the healthcare system on behalf of someone living with dementia can be challenging, especially when the different systems you’re engaging with don’t speak to each other. This episode offers simple tips to streamline the process.  

If you’d like personalised support on how to approach appointments or figure out the health care systems, you can contact the National Dementia Helpline on 1800 100 500. You can call 24 hours a day or request a callback, start a webchat or send an email with whatever is on your mind. 

If you’re considering residential care for your loved one with dementia, you can register for Dementia Australia’s helpful webinar here.   

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Hold the Moment is a podcast from Dementia Australia, produced by Deadset Studios.  

Follow Dementia Australia on Facebook and Instagram or find support resources on our website. 

This episode was hosted by Jim Rogers and Kristin, a National Dementia Helpline Advisor. It was produced by Luci McAfee. Executive producers are Gia Moylan and Kellie Riordan. 

The National Dementia Helpline is funded by the Australian Government.   

Dementia Australia and Deadset Studios acknowledge the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today. 

Dementia Australia acknowledges and appreciates the support of the Australian Government for this initiative. 

Nick’s in a pretty unique position as a carer.  

“I can’t fix the problem with my mum but as an engineer, I can problem-solve. I can advocate for her and give her a voice when she can’t navigate the system,” Nick said. 

As an engineer, Nick’s used to untangling complex systems. He’s about as tech-savvy as they come but even he found it frustrating trying to access support for his mum, who’s living with Alzheimer’s disease.    

Dementia Australia Executive Director Services, Advocacy and Research Dr Kaele Stokes sees the system from another angle, and offers tips for new carers who don’t know where to start.  

If you’d like to access counselling services, you can visit the counselling section on Dementia Australia’s website or the CarerGateway. 

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Hold the Moment is a podcast from Dementia Australia, produced by Deadset Studios and hosted by Jim Rogers and Hamish Macdonald.  

For support, you can contact the National Dementia Helpline on 1800 100 500 (24 hours a day, seven days a week). The National Dementia Helpline is funded by the Australian Government.   

Follow Dementia Australia on Facebook and Instagram or find support resources on our website. 

Production by Liam Riordan and sound design by Ryan Pemberton. The executive producers are Gia Moylan and Kellie Riordan. Production manager is Ann Chesterman. 

Dementia Australia and Deadset Studios acknowledge the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today. 

Whether you're new to caring or have been supporting someone with dementia for a while, it’s not always clear where to turn to for help. Every carer’s path is different, but you don’t have to figure it out alone. This episode offers straightforward advice on where to get help, what support services are available and why it’s never too early to reach out.

If you’d like tailored support, you can contact the National Dementia Helpline on 1800 100 500. You can call 24 hours a day or request a callback, start a webchat or send an email with whatever is on your mind.

If you want to hear stories about other carers’ experiences, [listen to this episode of Hold the Moment]. 

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Hold the Moment is a podcast from Dementia Australia, produced by Deadset Studios.  

Follow Dementia Australia on Facebook and Instagram or find support resources on our website. 

This episode was hosted by Jim Rogers and Kristin, a National Dementia Helpline Advisor. It was produced by Luci McAfee. Executive producers are Gia Moylan and Kellie Riordan. 

Dementia Australia and Deadset Studios acknowledge the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today. 

Dementia Australia acknowledges and appreciates the support of the Australian Government for this initiative. 

Rachel Corbett couldn’t afford to put her life on hold, even when her mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. She was in her 20s, her career wasn’t established and she wanted to have kids, so spent the next few years looking after her mum while juggling everything else in life.

Then her dad was diagnosed with Lewy body dementia.

Rachel would go on to spend her 30s supporting and caring for her parents.

“I did have a difficult time with both my parents because of this, but it connected us in a way that might not have ever happened if they were both well.”

Caring for someone living with dementia can be overwhelming, but you’re not alone.

Hold the Moment is a podcast by people living with dementia and their families, and season two is all about people who are caring for loved ones with dementia.  

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Hold the Moment is a podcast from Dementia Australia, produced by Deadset Studios and hosted by Jim Rogers and Hamish Macdonald. For support, you can contact the National Dementia Helpline on 1800 100 500 (24 hours a day, seven days a week). The National Dementia Helpline is funded by the Australian Government.

Follow Dementia Australia on Facebook and Instagram or find support resources on our website. 

This episode was produced by Gia Moylan and Liam Riordan, with sound design by Ryan Pemberton. The executive producers are Gia Moylan and Kellie Riordan. Production manager is Ann Chesterman.

Dementia Australia and Deadset Studios acknowledge the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today. 

"As carers of people living with dementia, we all have a public face and a private face."

When someone you love is diagnosed with dementia there’s a lot you take on – physically, mentally and emotionally. So how do you even start to process all these changes?

On Hold the Moment, you’re not alone. Join Jim, who was diagnosed with younger-onset Alzheimer’s, and his co-host Hamish Macdonald, whose dad lived with Parkinson’s and Lewy body dementia, as they learn how their peers are managing their new circumstances.

We’ll also bring in a few experts along the way for advice on the especially tricky stuff, like navigating the complex maze of care systems. 

Follow Hold the Moment wherever you get your podcasts so you don’t miss an episode. And share it with anyone you know who’s caring for someone with dementia. 

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Hold the Moment is a podcast from Dementia Australia, produced by Deadset Studios and hosted by Jim Rogers and Hamish MacDonald.  

For support, you can contact the National Dementia Helpline on 1800 100 500 (24 hours a day, seven days a week). The National Dementia Helpline is funded by the Australian Government.   

Follow Dementia Australia on Facebook and Instagram or find support resources on our website. 

This trailer was produced by Liam Riordan. Sound design by Ryan Pemberton. The executive producers are Gia Moylan and Kellie Riordan. Production Manager is Ann Chesterman. 

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today. 

Over the last few months, the Hold the Moment team has been hard at work...

Your response to our first season was incredible, and luckily you won’t have to wait long for more episodes.

Hamish and Jim are back for a quick announcement. 

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Hold the Moment is a podcast from Dementia Australia, produced by Deadset Studios and hosted by Jim Rogers and Hamish Macdonald. Follow Dementia Australia on Instagram and find support resources online. 

This episode was produced by Gia Moylan. The executive producers are Gia Moylan and Kellie Riordan. Production manager is Ann Chesterman. 

Dementia Australia and Deadset Studios acknowledge the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today. 

A dementia diagnosis has a ripple effect across families. So where can you turn for information and support? 

This bonus episode is packed with tips for families who want to know more about how to support themselves and a family member living with dementia. 

Whether you live close to your loved one or further afield, Dementia Australia has many helpful resources and programs specially tailored to family members of any age, including children. 

If you’d like personalised support, you can contact the National Dementia Helpline on 1800 100 500. You can call 24 hours a day or request a callback, start a webchat or send an email with whatever is on your mind. 

For more information, explore our support resources for family, friends, and carers or learn more about staying connected with loved ones. 

You can also listen to this episode of Hold the Moment to hear candid stories from families who have been impacted by a dementia diagnosis.  

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Hold the Moment is a podcast from Dementia Australia, produced by Deadset Studios.  

Follow Dementia Australia on Facebook and Instagram and find support resources online. 

This episode was hosted by Jim Rogers and Kristin, a National Dementia Helpline Advisor. It was produced by Luci McAfee. Executive producers are Grace Pashley and Kellie Riordan. 

The National Dementia Helpline is funded by the Australian Government.  

Dementia Australia and Deadset Studios acknowledge the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognises their continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today. 

Dementia Australia acknowledges and appreciates the support of the Australian Government for this initiative. 

When Millie Rogers first discovered her dad, Jim Rogers (co-host of Hold the Moment), had received a diagnosis of younger onset dementia, she felt like a rug had been pulled from beneath her feet.  

“I just froze. I just couldn’t believe what he was saying.” 

In this candid episode, Millie and her sister Daisy open up to journalist Hamish Macdonald about the initial shock of the diagnosis, Jim’s role as a grandfather to their young children, and how it can be hard to be vulnerable when everyone wants to put on a brave face. 

Then, Jim Rogers interviews Hamish Macdonald about his experience with his own father’s diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease and Lewy body dementia. Hamish explains why giving his father dignity is crucial and why you need to advocate for your family member. 

“People living with dementia need love and they need support, but they need advocates as well…You know, just actually getting your head around the really fine detail of what someone’s needs are and being able to advocate on their behalf.” 

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Hold the Moment is a podcast from Dementia Australia, produced by Deadset Studios and hosted by Jim Rogers and Hamish Macdonald.   

For support, you can contact the National Dementia Helpline on 1800 100 500 (24 hours a day, seven days a week). The National Dementia Helpline is funded by the Australian Government.   

For more information, explore our support resources for family, friends, and carers or learn more about staying connected with loved ones. 

Follow Dementia Australia on Facebook and Instagram or find support resources on our website. 

This episode was produced by Madeleine Hawcroft, with sound design by Sean Holden. The executive producers are Grace Pashley and Kellie Riordan. Production manager is Ann Chesterman. 

Thank you to Millie, Daisy and Maggie for being part of the episode. 

Dementia Australia and Deadset Studios acknowledge the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today. 

Dementia Australia acknowledges and appreciates the support of the Australian Government for this initiative. 

If you’re looking for new ways to get around town or travel further afield with a dementia diagnosis, this episode is full of tips and resources on how you can do just that.  

If you’d like tailored support on travelling with dementia, you can contact the National Dementia Helpline on 1800 100 500. You can call 24 hours a day or request a callback, start a webchat or send an email with whatever is on your mind. You can also find some information here. 

In this episode you'll hear about a Dementia Australia webinar on driving and dementia – you can watch it here.   

If you want to learn more on getting around with dementia, listen to this episode of Hold the Moment.

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Hold the Moment is a podcast from Dementia Australia, produced by Deadset Studios.  

Follow Dementia Australia on Facebook and Instagram and find support resources online. 

This episode was hosted by Jim Rogers and Kristin, a National Dementia Helpline Advisor. This episode was produced by Luci McAfee. The executive producers are Grace Pashley and Kellie Riordan.  

The National Dementia Helpline is funded by the Australian Government.  

Dementia Australia and Deadset Studios acknowledge the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognises their continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today. 

Dementia Australia acknowledges and appreciates the support of the Australian Government for this initiative. 

Jim Rogers was once ‘captain organised’ when planning overseas trips with his husband Tyler. But after his diagnosis of younger onset dementia, he’s learnt to get Tyler to assist with online check-in, packing and itinerary planning.  

And it’s not just setting off overseas that’s changed. Getting around town has become trickier now that Jim’s lost his driver’s licence.  

Like Jim, Juanita wishes she could zip over to the shops to do her weekly groceries. But since being diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, a trip like this needs a bit more planning. 

After losing her driver’s licence, Juanita has relied on public transport and taxis to get around town – but she’s figured out some handy ways to maintain her independence.  

Discover the tips and tricks you need to get out and about. 

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Hold the Moment is a podcast from Dementia Australia, produced by Deadset Studios and hosted by Jim Rogers and Hamish Macdonald.   

For support, you can contact the National Dementia Helpline on 1800 100 500 (24 hours a day, seven days a week). The National Dementia Helpline is funded by the Australian Government.   

Follow Dementia Australia on Facebook and Instagram or find support resources on our website. 

In this episode Juanita discusses how the sunflower lanyard for hidden disabilities has helped her travel independently. You can also watch this Dementia Australia webinar about driving and dementia. 

This episode was produced by Liam Riordan. Sound design by Sean Holden. The executive producers are Grace Pashley and Kellie Riordan. Production manager is Ann Chesterman. 

Dementia Australia and Deadset Studios acknowledge the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognises their continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today. 

Dementia Australia acknowledges and appreciates the support of the Australian Government for this initiative.