Lockdown can be burdonsome for those of us living with dementia. It can be difficult to find things to stimulate the mind, and social contact is necessarily limited. Little things assume big importance.
I get phone and video calls from friends and family and I'm very active online, which helps to pass the time and keep me sharp, but it would be very easy to slip into a comfortable rut and stagnate. The trick for me, is to plan ahead and have goals.
And let's not forget that while we've been in isolation, the world has changed radically. Those comfotable and familiar places we used to visit now have new routines in place which will make them quite daunting and bewildering until we get used to the new way to shop and interact socially. Hopefully, people will understand and be patient with us.
I visited a supermarket last weekend for the first time since lockdown. I don’t have dementia but I found it a confusing and somewhat scary experience. I can only imagine how someone with dementia or elderly would feel. Please be patient everyone - disabilities are not always visible but that doesn’t mean they aren’t there.