At age 58 Wendy Mitchell was diagnosed with young-onset dementia. Thrown into an unfamiliar world, her mind focused on the overwhelming picture of what the late stages of dementia would bring. However, what she found was she had to deal with small but ever-growing concerns such as tying her shoe laces, the distraction background noise creates, the need to set reminders on her phone for everything and the inability to do two things at once.
In What I Wish People Knew About Dementia Mitchell discusses the aspects of dementia that are generally not talked about. Chapters include senses, communication, emotions and environment. She talks about how her dreams have changed, to the hallucinations she experiences, how caring for someone changes a relationship and the words people use when describing dementia. She shares how the way she cooks has changed and how sounds of the world are now overwhelming. These are all things that people with dementia face.
This is an insightful and personal guide to dementia, an essential read for anyone facing the disease or who knows someone who is. It is confronting, with discussion of some difficult topics that could be very close to home for some. But it’s a positive book that shows how to live with the disease, face the scary symptoms and live a full life. For those with family or friends with dementia, it’s a guide to being empathetic, helpful and not patronising.
With this book Wendy Mitchell will teach a lot of people some very important lessons.
Reviewed by Amber Sawyer
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