Daughter's New Music Video Shows Heartbreaking Reality Of Loving Someone With Dementia
Daughter's Music Video About Dementia Will Break Your Heart
Natasha Hinde— The Huffington Post UK
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If you've witnessed firsthand the devastating effects of dementia on a family member or friend, then Daughter's new music video will resonate deeply.
The heartbreaking video tells the story of a woman with dementia and the family that love her dearly. It accompanies the song 'Doing The Right Thing'.
At the start of the emotional clip, a man goes to fetch his elderly wife's dress from the dry cleaners. He then sits on a bench and sobs before returning home.
Meanwhile the woman's son is sat at home with her, but she looks straight past him to the blurry television.
The video depicts a reality that many of us know all too well. But it's opening conversations and, more importantly, it's letting those affected by dementia know that they're not alone.
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The video explores what it's like to love a person with dementia
There are currently 850,000 people living with dementia in the UK, two thirds of which are women. This figure is estimated to reach one million by 2025.
The most common symptoms include memory problems, mood changes and communication problems.
According to the Alzheimer's Society, caring for a person with dementia can be difficult as your relationship will change over time.
"You may experience feelings of grief and bereavement as the illness progresses, not just in the period after the person's death," reads the website.
"There are so many changes that occur along the way when caring for someone with dementia that it can be difficult for carers to deal with their feelings. Other family members, especially children, may also be affected."
But you aren't alone. If you want to find out about getting practical help to care for someone with dementia or just talk to someone who understands, you can call the National Dementia Helpline on 0300 222 1122.
At times everyone can become tired of housework, business activities, or social obligations. However a person with dementia may become very passive, sitting in front of the television for hours, sleeping more than usual, or appear to lose interest in hobbies. (credit:John Rensten via Getty Images)
Changes in Personality (02 of10)
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A person with dementia may seem different from his or her usual self in ways that are difficult to pinpoint. A person may become suspicious, irritable, depressed, apathetic or anxious and agitated especially in situations where memory problems are causing difficulties. (credit:fStop Images - Carl Smith via Getty Images)
Mood Changes(03 of10)
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Everyone can become sad or moody from time to time. A person with dementia may become unusually emotional and experience rapid mood swings for no apparent reason. Alternatively a person with dementia may show less emotion than was usual previously. (credit:Mike Chick via Getty Images)
Misplace Things (04 of10)
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Anyone can temporarily misplace his or her wallet or keys. A person with dementia may put things in unusual places such as an iron in the fridge or a wristwatch in the sugar bowl. (credit:Oli Kellett via Getty Images)
Problems With Keeping Track of Things (05 of10)
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A person with dementia may find it difficult to follow a conversation or keep up with paying their bills. (credit:Chris Red via Getty Images)
Increasingly poor Judgement(06 of10)
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People with dementia may dress inappropriately, wearing several layers of clothes on a warm day or very few on a cold day. (credit:Jessica Peterson via Getty Images)
Distortion of Time and Place (07 of10)
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We sometimes forget the day of the week or where we are going but people with dementia can become lost in familiar places such as the road they live in, forget where they are or how they got there, and not know how to get back home. A person with dementia may also confuse night and day. (credit:Jupiterimages via Getty Images)
Problems With Language(08 of10)
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Occasionally everyone has trouble finding the right word but a person with dementia often forgets simple words or substitutes unusual words, making speech or writing hard to understand. (credit:Jupiterimages via Getty Images)
Difficulty Performing Familiar Tasks(09 of10)
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People with dementia often find it hard to complete everyday tasks that are so familiar we usually do not think about how to do them. A person with dementia may not know in what order to put clothes on or the steps for preparing a meal. (credit:Anthony Harvie via Getty Images)
Memory Loss(10 of10)
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Declining memory, especially short-term memory, is the most common early symptom of dementia. People with ordinary forgetfulness can still remember other facts associated with the thing they have forgotten. For example, they may briefly forget their next-door neighbour's name but they still know the person they are talking to is their next-door neighbour. A person with dementia will not only forget their neighbour's name but also the context. (credit:Compassionate Eye Foundation via Getty Images)