Life is almost fully back to normal in Redbond Lodge residential care home. There are some wonderful new residents with big smiles and hopeful dreams that life is not going to be ‘so bad’. The poignant tone of resignation is palpable when they consider that ‘it could be worse’ because there are always people ‘that are worse off’. I hold on to their hands as they grasp mine with such strength, I can feel their pulse.
Life post-covid feels like a rebirth. With full of hope in my own heart, I wrote to the headteacher of Felsted school, whose sixth form students participated in the Amelesia pilot programme late in 2018. I sent copies of my two books to Mt Townsend, the headteacher, who had been so supportive.
I hoped against hope that he might remember. To my astonishment, he more than remembered. Not only did he remember very clearly, but he also read the books in no time at all, and he wrote a review of them in the school’s latest newsletter which can be accessed via this link:
Mr Townsend is very keen for his students to contribute to this project. He fervently agrees that we need to reconceptualise dementia. I am thrilled to be working again with this school, committed to community work and to raising student’s awareness of society’s most pressing issues.
I also received a positive response from one university professor who gave the books to two ‘very keen students’ to read and appraise. I look forward to hearing their opinions.