Kelley Irwin

Can you identify one moment you had a reaction to the situation and knew it would change your life? It happened to me last week. (April 2023)

I have been spending 40% of my time travelling and helping my parents for the past year. My father was diagnosed with dementia and it is hard on him and everyone who cares about him. I was asked several times to write about the experience but felt it was too difficult. It’s hard to find first hand accounts of what families are dealing with and I understand why.

Through this experience, I met Sara. She is also a dementia patient. She ‘met’ me last week and told me she was scared she wouldn’t remember my name. I had in fact met Sara a few times before. I told her that was okay and I would remind her of my name if she forgot. She then said she was scared she wouldn’t remember that I said it was okay. The next two days I saw her, she said with a big smile “Hi Kelley”.

I decided if Sara can admit she is scared, so can I.

Today I officially commit to write my story of a year with dementia. It won’t be easy. Keep me in your thoughts.