Agewell's Dementia Groups Help Sandwell Couple Find Laughter Again

The project, which aims to empower people living with dementia and their family carers, provides a range of support including weekly groups held in local community venues.

Having endured years of fighting to get a diagnosis of dementia for Michael, followed by a long, lonely struggle to come to terms with it, Rose says she is finally laughing again thanks to Agewell, and that’s the best medicine of all.

It took eight years for Rose to persuade the medical profession that Michael wasn’t suffering from depression. In fact, he had frontotemporal dementia, despite only being 58.

“I kept being told I was over-reacting and it was incredibly stressful,” says Rose. “When Michael finally got the diagnosis just before Covid, everything went wrong for us. The time when you need someone to talk to most is when you get a diagnosis, but all the befriending services had shut down due to the pandemic. We felt very isolated and found it hard to cope.”

Rose began phoning around to try and find some support and came across Agewell.

She explains: “Dementia Wellbeing Adviser, Debra Pierson got in touch and began phoning me regularly. It was so good to have someone to chat to. When the dementia groups started up again Deb spent a lot of time persuading us to give them a go, but I thought we were too young. 

“Eventually I gave in and we began going to Agewell’s weekly DEEP group at Queensridge Court in Oldbury. We then joined the weekly Meeting Centre group at The Flame Community Church in Blackheath too.

“The groups have saved us. You meet so many people who just do it for the job, but Deb and her team at Agewell go above and beyond and we’d be lost without them.

“Just talking to other people who are all suffering the same thing makes a big difference. No-one stands out and it doesn’t matter if you can’t remember the right word or how to do something. 

“For Michael, the groups are something to aim for in the week, something to fill the day. We play cognitive games and we all enjoy bingo, but a lot of it is just talking and laughing. We always come away laughing.

“When you first get a diagnosis, you’re distraught and you get bombarded with information that you can’t take in. Deb and the team drip feed you with information instead. For them it’s a passion, not a job. They make you feel worth something again.

“I’d say to anyone that if you’re worried about someone, don’t give up. Life is short and we spent so many years fighting for a diagnosis. Now we’re making the most of every day again and it was Agewell who got us back out there.”

If you, or someone you know, has recently been diagnosed with dementia and is interested in finding out more about Thinking Differently About Dementia, call Agewell on 0121 796 9333 or email us here

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