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.
Dementia Diaries Website
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:
AGNES WONDERS ABOUT THE SUPPORT PEOPLE NEED TO GET INVOLVED.
WATCHING AN ANT HAS STEPHEN WONDERING.
JIM REFLECTS ON SUPPORTING OTHERS WITH DEMENTIA.
RAE REFLECTS ON THE LOVE SHE FEELS AROUND HER.
AGNES TALKS ABOUT THE SUPPORT FROM DEEP AND INNOVATIONS IN DEMENTIA.
PAUL IS OFF TO EDINBURGH TO JOIN HE DEEP GATHERING.
AGNES IS STRUGGLING A BIT TO MAKE DIARIES AWAY FROM HOME.
CLIVE EXPRESSES FRUSTRATION AT THE ATTITUDE OF OTHERS.
JOY THREW HERSELF OFF A MOUNTAIN FOR YOUNG ONSET DEMENTIA.
JOHN SPEAKS ABOUT THE PROBLEMS HE CAN HAVE TRAVELLING.
JACQUI IS DELIGHTED WITH HER HOLIDAY SCOOTER RENTAL.
CHRIS ENCOURAGES OTHERS TO PRESS FOR THEIR RIGHTS AROUND BENEFITS.
STEPHEN HAS BEEN UNDER THE WEATHER BUT LOOKING FORWARD.
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, it helps when applying for funding in the future.
When The Fog Lifts 
I have been asked to contribute to these diaries, but believe it or not am not confident enough to speak down a phone for a minute or so. Conferences, meetings, face to face interviews yes; phone no. Also, my PCA stops me for concentrating for that long so would love all of them to be transcribed, can you not ask for funds for a professional to do this? There must be a charity that would grant money for this purpose.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hello Martin, what I do is write down what I want to say first in Wordpad, then I record it on my Pc, its doesnt matter how many times I make a mistake, then I email the sound recording and the wordpad doc to Dementia Diaries. I don’t know of any charities that would fund a professional to read diaries
LikeLike
Tried listening to Agnes, as I know her and her voice, but could not remember much. My life is quiet at the moment, so being sad I will have a look round for such charities and ask around as well. “Dementia” opens up a lot of charity doors, especially up here in Scotland. Living in a rural area is a good hitting point as well as it keeps us all in touch. I will let you know in a couple of weeks…
LikeLiked by 1 person