Apparently according to The Times , there has been a bit of an outcry about the new advert which refers to the multiple times a person with dementia dies. The link to the advertisement if you haven't seen it is here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=m06RTgI3Oqk&t=2s
In the Opinion piece written by Sonia Sodha she says, "I found it immensely uncomfortable to watch. Using death as a metaphor to describe the progression of a disease experienced by someone living struck me as horribly dehumanising." I found myself thinking that it was the whole point of the advert. Dementia is dehumanising.
Sonia goes on to say that she has stepped back a little on her thoughts but still thinks the advert goes too far but society sanitises too much. What do you think?
Later she comments, "... because dementia leads to the degeneration of your mind rather than your body; it erodes your memories, your identity and your sense of self." Well, I don't know how many people she knows with dementia but I know from experience that the body does become affected.
One of the difficulties we had was that Mum could not remember to put one foot in front of another therefore she couldn't walk. My grandad completely lost the ability to speak but could still write. There were other things but too gross to mention!
My feeling with my Mum is that I have lost her several times over. I sat in her room howling when over Christmas, for the umpteenth time, I have visited but she just can't wake up. Once it took a month before we could actually talk to her again. The doctors can't find anything wrong and carers tell me it happens a lot with dementia patients.
I felt a loss when I took her out to a music concert with her favourite composer which she would have loved but she just kept saying, why are we here? who's music is this? When we took her back to the home, she was so frightened because she didn't know where she was. My strong, confidant mother has become anxious and scared.
Watching her bewildered at family events, forgetting who the love of her life was, not realising I'm her daughter but thinking I am her mother...I could go on but you get my drift. All of this is without losing my mother as my go to confidant, legal advisor, financial advisor and somebody who understood my sense of humour. That was the nice side, now the vicious side is totally unfiltered! Each time something goes it does feel like a bereavement so I feel the advert is perfect to describe the emotions you go through.
Please do share your thoughts especially if you are caring for or know someone with dementia so have a firsthand experience.
