A Dementia Reality Check
“I no longer know if I’m right-handed or left-handed.”
“I don’t know how to use money anymore… I can’t count.”
Peter Berry of Suffolk, England was diagnosed with younger-onset dementia at age 50. It took him three years to get this diagnosis. At first, the diagnosis didn’t really sink in – he was numb. He remembered how he felt though.
Peter Berry living with younger-onset Alzheimer’s riding a penny farthing (high-wheeled) bicycle.
“The enormity of what was to come, weighed very heavy and I got quite depressed.”
“I went to places where nobody should really have to go. It takes a lot of guts to put your head through the noose…”
“And then I thought, who is actually helping me? Nobody is helping me. There should be some kind of support. I took my head out of the noose. I’ve got to do something about this.”
He found purpose in doing a weekly video to help others. The video link on his Facebook page features over 100 videos.
He realized he needed to do something to show life’s not over.
He cycled across the UK to raise funds and awareness.
“When I go cycling, I leave my dementia at home.”
Leaving Alzheimer’s Behind Video
After viewing the 7-minute video above, click to learn more about Leaving Alzheimer’s Behind produced by Being Patient Media.
To learn more about Peter Berry and how he managed his depression and found a reason to walk away from suicide, read Deborah Kan’s interview with Peter Berry about his diagnosis of dementia.
Visit Peter’s Facebook page: Peter Berry Living with Alzheimer’s.
As caregivers, we can help people with dementia find activities that give them purpose. We all need to feel we have a purpose.
