Dementia group provides relief from 24-hour care
10:22am Saturday 11th February 2012 in News
E R N I E H o l d e n became a volunteer for Bolton Dementia Support Group after his wife, Joan, lost her battle with the illness nearly two years ago.
Mrs Holden, a retired office clerk, suffered from dementia for two years before passing away at home in July last year.
Mr Holden, aged 74, from Harwood, who was with his wife for 30 years, said: “It started off with my wife forge t t i n g things.
A l z h e i m e r ’ s g o e s down in a slope but dementia goes down in steps. My wife must have been going down in big steps for two years before she died.
“Joan was a lovely girl but there is nothing you can do about it.
I am just glad she didn’t suffer any longer.
“We used to go everywhere but once you reach a certain stage with dementia the person has gone.”
He said the dementia group is a relief for many carers who are often exhausted from supporting loved ones around-the-clock.
The retired haulage c o n t r a c t o r s a i d : “When you are a carer you have no time to be lonely. I was looking after my wife for 24 hours a day. I would get up in the night with her. It can get on top of you. A lot of the time you didn’t understand what was going on. She was only six months into the illness when she lost her speech.
“She used to climb through the window of our bungalow. I would bang my head against the wall a few times but the dementia group was a big help.
The point about the group is everybody is suffering and when you come home things are a bit easier. Without their help it would have got harder. I wish I had made contact with the dementia group sooner. If you are on your own it’s helpless because there’s that much pressure on you it is unbelievable, especially if you are getting up in the night every four hours. Dementia can happen to anyone at any time but you get through it.
“I really enjoy the group. We have a laugh and say we don’t do serious. Some of the carers are glad to come to the group because it is a relief for them.”
Recent figures show that 3,723 people in Bolton are expected to be suffering from dementia by 2021 — an increase of more than 1,000 on the 2010 figure of 2,896. The charity meets at the Resource Centre in Beaumont Road, Horwich, each Monday be t we e n 10.30am and noon, where carers are offered support and the sufferer can get involved in an activity.
From 1.30pm until 3pm games and refreshments take place. Each Wednesday a raffle, activities and refreshments also takes place at Trinity Methodist Church in Bury Road, Tonge Fold from 2pm.
For more information call 01204 386696.
