Share with:
This December people living with dementia will be sharing their own personal stories through a unique digital advent calendar.
Non-profit organisation On Our Radar have launched a social media campaign which aims to showcase one story per day from someone who lives with dementia, on Twitter and Facebook.
The audio stories, which will feature in the run up to Christmas under the hashtag #DoorIntoDementia, are part of the Dementia Diaries project – a national series of audio diaries which documents the day-to-day lives of participants.
“Dementia Diarists” have collected their stories on special 3D printed phones which allow users to record their experiences in audio reports.
The stories, recorded as the reporters go about their daily life, provide a unique and intimate insight into their world. Day one features Jo Bennett from Stockport who has early onset dementia. Her advice is to stay focused and not to languish in the past. “Don’t keep your dementia a secret. Keep as positive as you can and live in the present,” she said.
With the Christmas holiday season approaching, the reporters share uplifting stories about living well with dementia - about their passion for art, music, running and campaigning, and how families, friends and communities have been drawn closer together post-diagnosis.
The Dementia Diarists also report on complications of social isolation, stigma and changing relationships with friends and family.
According to On Our Radar the process allows people with dementia - typically underrepresented in the digital sphere - to have their voices heard and their stories shared online.
On Our Radar is a non-profit communications agency that works with a wide range of marginalised groups, using mobile tools and digital platforms to enable these groups to share their news and perspectives.
The Dementia Diaries project is part of the Dementia Engagement and Empowerment Project (DEEP), and is run in partnership with Innovations in Dementia and OwnFone, with the support of Comic Relief.
For more information about the Dementia Diaries project go to their website(opens in new window).
And you can follow the #DoorIntoDementia social media campaign on Twitter(opens in new window) and Facebook(opens in new window).
