Fife group offers support to people diagnosed with early onset dementia

Striving For A New Day (STAND) was founded by Maggie Simpson, NHS nurse specialist, Ruth McCabe of Fife Council Dementia Awareness and Gerry King as a peer support group for those diagnosed with dementia at an early age and, almost as importantly, their families.

Gerry was 55d when he was told he had dementia in 2018. He said that while his initial diagnosis led to feelings of isolation, the creation of STAND opened up opportunities for people in the same position to support each other.

He said: “Within half an hour of the first meeting, you’d have thought that people who had never met in their lives had known each other forever, because we were all in the same boat.

"There were people who had no one to bounce off for advice, and to find out there actually are people of a similar age and stage was amazing. From that day STAND was formed”.

After attending a dementia awareness meeting in Kinglassie run by Ruth, the two met again just days later as plans were drawn up by the Masonic Lodge, which Gerry is a member of, to run a dementia friendly cafe.

This led to Gerry and Ruth touring Fife giving presentations on dementia – something Ruth said was beneficial to both of them.

She said: “Doing this was really helpful for Gerry. It gave him purpose, and a reason to get up in the morning.

“It really helped me as sharing his lived experience of dementia meant we were able to shatter the typical stereotype of someone living with dementia as being incapable, and living a miserable life.”

Groups now meet weekly across the Kingdom in order to support each other following a diagnosis.

Those coming along to the sessions are treated to a cup of tea and a biscuit as they take in presentations by groups from around Fife, such as Scottish Gas Network, who are there to give a talk on carbon monoxide awareness, and Fife Shopping and Support Service.

Edinburgh-based musician Gus Harrower also joined the group at this week’s session in Kennoway.

For the last year, he has worked with the group to craft a series of ten songs. The group started by taking popular songs and reworking the lyrics to make them relevant to their members, but it has now progressed to writing their own songs.

Gerry said the song work is more than just a bit of fun – it’s part of a plan to help keep people’sbrains ticking over.

He said: “We try not to just entertain people. Gus doesn’t just come here and play us tunes. He comes here and we write songs which includes the whole group and stimulates their minds”.

The group hopes that it will be able to produce an album of songs. It intends to showcase the music by staging a concert in March at a local primary school.

You can find more information about STAND at: https://www.dementiavoices.org.uk/group/stand-kirkcaldy/ or you can email them at: [email protected]