Life After a Dementia Diagnosis: Living Well, Staying Connected and Finding Purpose

Being told that you, or someone you love, has dementia can feel overwhelming.

There may be fear about what the future will look like, what might change and what may eventually become more difficult. Those feelings are understandable.

But a diagnosis of dementia does not mean that life stops.

There can still be laughter, friendships, new experiences, familiar routines, achievement and things to look forward to.

At Peaceful Place, we believe that while a timely diagnosis is important, what happens after diagnosis matters just as much.

What Happens After a Dementia Diagnosis?

For many people, one of the first questions is:

“What happens now?”

Every person’s experience of dementia is different. Some people may continue to live very independently for a long time. Others may need increasing support.

But receiving a diagnosis should not mean withdrawing from everyday life.

People living with dementia should still have opportunities to make choices, pursue their interests, meet friends, learn new things and remain part of their community.

The right support can help make that possible.

Focus on the Person, Not the Diagnosis

Dementia may affect memory, communication, confidence or the way somebody processes information, but it does not remove the person they have always been.

People still have interests.

They still have skills.

They still have humour, personality and opinions.

They still want to contribute.

At Peaceful Place, one of the phrases we use is:

“It is your life skills and interests that define you, not a diagnosis.”

That principle runs through everything we do.

Staying Active and Doing the Things You Enjoy

Remaining physically, socially and mentally engaged can support wellbeing and quality of life.

But activity should not simply mean keeping somebody “busy”.

It should be meaningful to them.

For one person that might be music. For another, it could be football, swimming, golf, gardening, art or dancing.

At Peaceful Place, our members take part in activities including:

·       music and singing

·       walking football

·       swimming and gym sessions

·       golf and bowling

·       yoga and boccia

·       art and creative activities

·       allotment and gardening

·       ballroom dancing

·       boxercise

·       community trips and our Friday Mystery Tour

The important thing is choice.

People living with dementia should still be able to decide what they enjoy and what they want to take part in.

Culture, Creativity and Dementia

Creative activity can be incredibly important for people living with dementia.

Music, art, dance and performance can provide opportunities for expression, confidence, connection and enjoyment.

But we also believe people living with dementia should not simply be the audience.

They can be the artists, performers and entertainers too.

Peaceful Place members have worked with artists to create public artwork and perform on stage at the Towngate Theatre.

These experiences are about much more than entertainment.

They are about being seen for what somebody can do.

The Importance of Community

Dementia can sometimes lead to people becoming increasingly isolated.

That can happen for many reasons. Someone may lose confidence, stop driving, find busy places difficult or gradually lose touch with friends and activities they once enjoyed.

That is why community matters so much.

Being somewhere you are known, welcomed and understood can make an enormous difference.

It gives people the opportunity to build friendships, develop routines and feel that they belong.

At Peaceful Place, members are not patients.

They are members of a community.

Dementia Does Not Only Affect Older People

Although dementia is more common as people get older, it can also affect people during working age.

People diagnosed younger may have very different circumstances. They may have recently been working, raising a family or living a very active life.

They may still want sport, activity, challenge and social connection.

Peaceful Place supports adults living with dementia both at working age and in retirement, with activities designed around the individual rather than their age.

Supporting Families as Well

A dementia diagnosis affects more than one person.

Partners, children, relatives and friends may gradually find themselves taking on more responsibility.

Family carers often need information, reassurance and time for themselves too.

Knowing that someone is somewhere they enjoy being, with people who understand them, can make an enormous difference.

Good dementia support should help the person living with dementia and the people supporting them at home.

Transport Can Be the Difference Between Attending and Staying Home

For many people living with dementia, accessing activities becomes more difficult because they can no longer drive or safely travel independently.

That can create isolation even when good services exist nearby.

Peaceful Place provides door-to-door transport, subject to route availability, because we know that simply getting somewhere can be one of the biggest barriers families face.

Our members are collected from home, brought to Peaceful Place and transported to community activities throughout the day before being taken safely home again.

For many families, that transport is what makes participation possible.

Life After Diagnosis

There is no single way to live with dementia.

There will be changes and there may be difficult periods.

But there can also continue to be friendship, purpose, achievement, humour and enjoyment.

A diagnosis should open the door to support — not close the door on life.

At Peaceful Place, our aim is simple:

to help people living with dementia continue doing the things that matter to them, remain connected to their communities and keep living their best lives.

Find Out More About Peaceful Place

Peaceful Place is a specialist dementia day service supporting people and families across Basildon, Southend, Thurrock and surrounding areas.

We provide a cooked breakfast and lunch, door-to-door transport where available, and a wide programme of social, physical, creative and community activities.

If you or someone you care about is living with dementia and would like to find out whether Peaceful Place may be suitable, please get in touch.

Because a dementia diagnosis may change life — but it should never mean that life stops.