A West Lothian man has spoken movingly about living with dementia as part of a nationwide campaign to increase understanding of the condition.
Stuart Dougall, who was diagnosed in January last year aged 58, has been talking about his experiences to support Dementia Awareness Week, which begins on Monday.
Stuart is one of around 3,000 people in Scotland to have been diagnosed with the condition before they reach their 65th birthday. He hopes his story can help change perceptions of dementia, reduce the stigma surrounding it and offer people hope.
A key campaign message is that early diagnosis allows people to receive the treatment and support they need to let them live well with the condition.
“I just want to get the message out there that you can still live well with dementia and that your life isn’t over,” said Stuart, whose mother and grandmother both had dementia.
“Life certainly changes, but you can still do most things you could do before – depending on the stage of the journey you are on.
“Dementia is a brain disease. There’s different types and stages. It affects people in different ways – but I always say, ‘don’t shy away from a person because they have a diagnosis.”
Stuart’s diagnosis has given him a chance to engage with people and try to raise awareness of the condition. People are always keen to show an interest, Stuart says, and to share the experiences of friends and family.
“I had mixed emotions on receiving my diagnosis,” said Stuart, who stopped working in September 2021.
"On one hand, it’s like your life is over but on the other hand, it’s relief because you know what’s wrong.
“Thankfully, my doctor was absolutely tremendous. He explained everything and showed me scans so I could see the part of the brain that is affected. That helped me see why I was struggling to do stuff.
“I do get frustrated but my wife and I decided early on that it doesn’t matter what happens, and we’d try and have a laugh when I get things wrong – you’re not going to undo what’s happened, so why get upset?”
The needs of people facing dementia younger in life bring in different challenges, says Alzheimer Scotland chief executive Henry Simmons.
“Younger people are more likely to be in work, have family responsibilities or be facing financial commitments, said Henry. “The emotional impact of a dementia diagnosis can be huge, particularly at a younger age, a timely diagnosis means that people can start coming to terms with the illness, learn how to cope and begin to make decisions and plan for their future.
“With the right help and support we know people can live well with dementia, that is why we are doing all that we can to ensure that high quality post diagnostic support is provided for every person throughout Scotland with no exceptions.”
Henry is urging people to support Alzheimer Scotland’s campaigns and to find out more about their innovative work by signing up to their e-bulletin which provides regular updates to supporters, members, people with dementia and their families and carers.
“We want people to lend their support to our campaigns and to develop a better understanding of dementia and the small things you can do to help people around you. This helps Alzheimer Scotland to make sure nobody faces dementia alone,” he added
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