Helping to foster a dementia-friendly generation

It is widely reported that in the UK, two-thirds of patients in general hospitals are older than 70, half of whom have dementia or delirium or both.  Many parents face the challenge of explaining dementia to their children particularly where it affects a grandparent or loved one.

One of the biggest challenges to children is the invisible nature of dementia and the impact it has on their loved one’s behaviour and personality. With a physical illness you can show, see and recognise symptoms easier. With mental health problems it’s much harder to explain. It’s difficult enough for adults to comprehend.

A family-run project, The Ally Bally Bee Project, helps children learn about dementia through the power of story-telling

By employing the power of story-telling where a family and their loved ones are written as the main characters, children area able to make more sense of what’s happening.

What’s great about the project is that no two books are the same, and for children, it’s reassuring to understand what the problem is and a relief to know that the person’s behaviour is part of their dementia and is not directed at them.

To find out more about the project visit The Ally Bally Bee website.