Dementia Diaries is a UK-wide project that brings together people’s diverse experiences of living with dementia as a series of audio diaries. It serves as a public record and a personal archive that documents the views, reflections and day-to-day lives of people living with dementia, with the aim of prompting dialogue and changing attitudes.

Who are we working with?

We are all part of the Dementia Engagement and Empowerment Project (DEEP). The Dementia Diaries initiative was designed by the non-profit communications agency On Our Radar (www.onourradar.org). It was launched by On Our Radar in January 2015 in partnership with Innovations in Dementia, Ownfone and Comic Relief, and was handed over to Innovations in Dementia in August 2016.

Phase 2 of the project is funded jointly by Comic Relief and BIG Lottery Fund.

A team from Leeds Beckett University was asked to evaluate the success of Dementia Diaries. A dementia-friendly summary of their findings is available here (pdf, opens in a new tab) or you can download the full report here (pdf, opens in a new tab).

The website provides the audio recording and a written transcript of each diary, you can volunteer to transcribe the audio diaries here

This weeks Diaries include:

MELVYN FEELS SUCCESSIVE GOVERNMENTS HAVE NEGLECTED THE NHS

JACQUI WONDERS IF THE NHS DIABETES PREVENTION PROGRAMME COULD BE A BIT MORE ACCESSIBLE

MELVYN HAS SOME THOUGHTS ABOUT THE MPS WHO RECENTLY LEFT THE LABOUR PARTY.

NIGEL PAYS TRIBUTE TO THE WOMEN HE HAS WORKED BESIDE SINCE HIS DIAGNOSIS

STEPHEN HAS A GREAT DAY WORKING WITH THE BBC ON COUNTRYFILE

AGNES WONDERS OF ANYONE HAS ANY GOOD TIPS FOR EFFECTIVE REMINDERS

JACKIE HAS A GREAT DAY WITH HER NEW PA AT THE HAT MUSEUM, DESPITE FORGETTING HER COAT AND WALKER.

MELVYN ARGUES FOR MORE CONSISTENCY OF CARE

JACKIE WONDERS IF THE NHS DIABETES PREVENTION PROGRAMME COULD BE A BIT MORE ACCESSIBLE

MELVYN TALKS ABOUT THE NEED FOR MORE TRAINING AND SUPPORT FOR CARE HOME STAFF

AGNES BAKES SCONES WITH THE HELP OF TALKING SCALES AND SCOTTISH WAR BLIND

AGNES NEEDS HELP TO FIND A CARE PROVIDER THAT UNDERSTANDS TECHNOLOGY

TRACEY DESCRIBES A GREAT COUPLE OF DAYS WORKING IN LONDON

PAUL TALKS ABOUT TESTING A NEW APP AT A DEEP MEETING

LISTEN TO RAE’S TRULY BEAUTIFUL POEM FOR HER AUNTY SUE

JULES REPORTS ON A GREAT DEEP MEETING IN LONDON – SHE’S NOT SO KEEN ON THAT LONDON THOUGH…

TRACEY WAS AT THE SAME MEETING WITH JULES, AND TALKS ABOUT HOW APHASIA

STEPHEN ANNOUNCES THE BROADCAST DATE OF THE EDITION OF COUNTRYFILE HE WORKED ON.

JACQUI HAS A GREAT DAY WITH HER NEW PA AT THE HAT MUSEUM, DESPITE FORGETTING HER COAT AND WALKER.

STEPHEN ANNOUNCES THE BROADCAST DATE OF THE EDITION OF COUNTRYFILE HE WORKED ON.

DORY’S CABIN FEVER IS OUTWEIGHED BY NEWS HER ARTICLE IS ABOUT TO BE PUBLISHED!

Note for Professionals

You can use these Diaries as part of your Dementia Training.

As a courtesy, please email Rachel Niblock at Niblock@myid.org.uk to let her know that you will be using some of the Diaries.