Resthaven Westbourne Park resident Mrs Helen Doley, 86, was diagnosed with dementia on February 2, 2023.
‘It wasn’t something I expected to hear, but I accepted it,’ Helen says. ‘A week later, I walked around here to Resthaven Westbourne Park and asked them to find me a room. I decided this was the place I wanted to be.’
Dementia is in the spotlight this month, with September being Dementia Awareness Month, and Dementia Action Week being held from 15-21 September. But what actually is dementia? Dementia is the name given to a collection of symptoms caused by disorders in the brain. It can affect mood, memory, thinking and behaviour, and it can happen to anybody. Although it is not a normal part of getting older, dementia is much more common in individuals over the age of 65.
‘I still do everything I’ve always done,’ Helen says – both of her moving into Resthaven, and also her dementia diagnosis. ‘I hope to still be able to do things for myself and speak for myself for a while longer, but I’m prepared just in case.’
Helen says she hasn’t noticed much of a change in her memory or mind since the diagnosis, but she is careful to write down appointments, and she notes down reminders for things she needs to speak with her family or carers about. She has planned her funeral and written down her wishes for a time when she may not be able to speak for herself.
Keeping her mind and body active, Helen has not let her diagnosis define her. A keen crafter, Helen is a stalwart of the Westbourne Park Uniting Church craft group, which she attends each week. Her current project at the group sessions is sewing a stuffed rabbit, which she is looking forward to putting on display in her room. At home, she sews skirts for the charity Samaritan’s Purse, as well as crochets blankets for those in palliative care. She is regularly involved in activities at Resthaven Westbourne Park.
‘I’m rather proud of myself with all my creations,’ Helen says. ‘I love life.’
Helen volunteered with Resthaven for more than 25 years, also volunteering with Meals on Wheels for more than 51 years. She is an active member of the vibrant Resthaven Westbourne Park community.
Read more about Helen’s life and her charitable deeds on the Resthaven website.
Early signs of dementia
If you or a loved one has concerns about changes in memory, mood or thinking, speak with your GP. The sooner you know of a diagnosis, the more you can do.
Signs of early-stage dementia include:
- Forgetting things more often
- Forgetting things you used to easily remember, like names and numbers
- Struggling to remember new things
- Becoming more repetitive
- Trouble doing familiar tasks
- Problems with language
- Problems with abstract thinking
- Problems misplacing things
- Changes in personality or behaviour
- A loss of initiative, including neglecting housework or personal hygiene.
Currently, there is no known cure for dementia. However, there are treatments and support services to help those diagnosed with the condition to live with the best possible quality of life. Resthaven understands the needs of those living with dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and other related disorders.
More information about Resthaven’s support for those living with dementia and their carers is available on the Resthaven website.
About Resthaven:
Established in 1935, Resthaven is a South Australian not-for-profit aged care community service associated with the Uniting Church in Australia.
Every day, Resthaven shares the lives and wisdom of older people and their carers, opening doors to the full range of aged care service options available.
Services are provided throughout metropolitan Adelaide, the Adelaide Hills, Murraylands, Riverland, Fleurieu Peninsula, lower Barossa region and the Limestone Coast of South Australia.
