By BRIDGET SCOTT
WHEN Graham Simpson was diagnosed with vascular dementia, he and his wife Joan’s lives changed forever.
However Ms Simpson has remained positive and explained it is all a matter of how the couple choose to cope with the disease.
In light of this week being Dementia Awareness Week, Joan Simpson has shared her story as career for her 71-year-old husband.
“Graham was diagnosed about two years ago,” the Pearcedale resident said.
Despite the relatively recent diagnosis, Ms Simpson said she started noticing signs in her husband a few years prior.
“He gave out a few signals,” she said.
“He has always been a bit of a person who loses things, and that got worse.”
“He was also starting to get a bit forgetful, and he had never been like that before.”
Ms Simpson said it was when her husband began to misplace items of high value that she became more worried.
“Occasionally he lost his credit card and that rang alarm bells,” she said.
Ms Simpson said her husband was frustrated when told he had dementia, and that with age, it would worsen.
“Graham was not happy at all – very angry and upset,” she said.
It has been no easy road for his wife either, who is the sole carer for Mr Simpson.
However Ms Simpson said there is a lot of help and support around.
“Once diagnosed, the doctor asked if we wanted to be referred to Alzheimer’s Victoria and we said yes,” she said.
Ms Simpson explained that through this she has been able to access counselling and other support services to help her cope with her husband’s illness.
“I go to counselling every two to three months, and that’s been helpful to me,” she said.
“It’s a great support to get rid of all my worries.”
The carer also mentioned another program which the couple joined in recent years called The Memory Lane café.
“It’s a great program they have at the Frankston RSL and other venues,” she said.
“It’s an afternoon every four to five weeks for carers and their partners.”
Ms Simpson said this is a great way to connect with people in similar positions and share stories with one another.
“You see other people and see it’s not just a sad story for you, but everybody is in the same boat,” she said.
The couple have attended the café for 18 months, which is now an initiative of Alzheimer’s Victoria.
“That’s been a good help to us,” said Ms Simpson, who is confident that the couple will be able to manage the condition without too much difficulty.
“There is not much there can do, just manage things the best way we know,” she said.
“You have to accept what’s given to you.”
