It was the little things that alerted sisters Lisa Williams and Emma Pitcher to the big fact that their mother had dementia.
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Ms Williams said while her mum Barbara had always been a fantastic cook, she’d started to forget basic recipes. She’d leave taps on and, more worryingly, forget to turn the grill off. And while her driving was still okay, she’d park outside the lines at shopping centre carparks.
The sisters, both nurses, took Barbara to a GP only to have their concerns dismissed. Fortunately they found a geriatrician who ran tests, and then diagnosed early onset dementia.
‘’Mum was just 60 when she was diagnosed in 2015,’’ Ms Williams said. ‘’Everyone thinks it’s an old person’s disease but it can happen to people in their 40s.
‘’I’d say mum had subtle symptoms for about three years before the diagnosis; but there’s been a rapid decline since and now she’s in a nursing home because she needs 24/7 care.’’
The sisters, along with their dad and brother, extended family and friends, will walk in honour of their mum at the Illawarra Memory Walk and Jog at Stuart Park on Sunday.
Participants can choose to take part in a 7.5km run, a 6.5km walk or 2km walk to help reach a fundraising target of $100,000, which funds Alzheimer’s Australia NSW programs.
‘’We want to raise awareness and we also want to support Alzheimer’s Australia which has been a fantastic support for us,’’ Ms Williams said.
‘’They’ve given us a lot of information about early onset dementia, have provided emotional support and also helped hook mum up with social events and other activities.
‘’It will be my first year walking, although other family members took part last year and said it was great to be among such an awesome group of people, all supporting the same cause.’’
Actress Doris Younane, whose mother recently passed away from dementia, will host this year’s walk: ‘’Being able to talk to professionals and counsellors (through Alzheimer’s Australia NSW) provided a lifeline to me and my family.’’
Head to www.memorywalk.com.au for details, and if you haven’t registered online there’ll be on-site registrations at 7am on Sunday.
Details:
Sunday, February 26 with registration from 7am
Stuart Park, North Wollongong
Distances: 7.5km, 6.5km and 2km