Hold the Moment

When Karen was diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia, she and her husband Jonathan knew their relationship would change. What surprised them was how. "It’s just made us more tender and gentle," Karen says.   

They've become more mindful, more aware of each other's needs, and they're having conversations they never expected to have, including about consent as things evolve.   

When you hear “dementia and intimacy”, sex might be the first thing that comes to mind. But intimacy is about so much more. It's about connection, closeness, and love. And it includes the relationships beyond your romantic ones.  

“Intimacy is about a human connection, and that can be sex,” says Dr Catherine Barrett, CEO of Celebrate Ageing, “but it can also be loving your children or your grandchildren, or having other special relationships in your life”.

Karen and Jonathan share how they’re managing the changing conditions of their relationship in real-time, and Catherine outlines some of the tools and tactics she uses in workshops to help people of all ages and abilities develop the skills of love. 

 

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Hold the Moment is a podcast from Dementia Australia, produced by Deadset Studios and hosted by Jim Rogers and Hamish Macdonald.

 

ABOUT THE GUESTS 

Karen is a Dementia Australia Dementia Advocate and retired teacher, coach and facilitator. Earlier this year, Karen received a diagnosis of primary progressive aphasia (language variant frontotemporal dementia). She and her husband Jonathan speak openly about how their relationship is changing in real time. 

 

Dr Catherine Barrett is the CEO of Celebrate Ageing, a charity committed to combating ageism and building respect for older people. A former nurse with more than 40 years of experience working with older people, Catherine helps people of all ages and abilities develop what she calls the skills of love. 

 

NEED SUPPORT?  

Contact the National Dementia Helpline: 1800 100 500. Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week - funded by the Australian Government. 

 

SERVICES & RESOURCES  

Find links, services and information from this episode → https://www.dementia.org.au/episode-still-us

 

EPISODE CREDITS 

Produced by Liam Riordan | Sound design by Slade Gibson | Executive producers: Sarah Dabro and Kellie Riordan | Production manager: Ann Chesterman 

 

FOLLOW DEMENTIA AUSTRALIA  

Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn 

Dementia Australia and Deadset Studios acknowledge the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today. 

Dementia Australia acknowledges and appreciates the support of the Australian Government for this initiative.

If you’re on North Wollongong Beach in New South Wales around sunrise, you’ll probably see David with his camera. After his daily morning swim, he likes to take photos of the sunrise – whenever he meets someone with young children, he offers to send them photos.

“This is the sunrise on the first day of your life,” he tells them to write under the pictures.

David was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2023 and instead of withdrawing, he asked himself: How can this become a new way to help people connect?

Amanda knows about isolation too. She’s been caring for her mum, who lives with Lewy body dementia, since she was just 17. For years, she hid it; embarrassed, exhausted, carrying the weight alone.  

But eventually, she reached out for help.

David and Amanda share how they’ve built and maintained connections after a diagnosis for their own sakes, but also so they can share what they’ve learned about dementia with their communities.  

  

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Hold the Moment is a podcast from Dementia Australia, produced by Deadset Studios and hosted by Jim Rogers and Hamish Macdonald. 

  

ABOUT THE GUESTS 

Dr David Williams AM, lives in Wollongong and was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2023 after a varied career spanning industrial chemistry, recruitment and consulting, alongside decades of community leadership. He continues to foster connection through daily swims, sunrise photography and his long-standing men’s group, believing openness about diagnosis is how you make a difference.

Amanda is a digital and ICT leader who works across complex industries, alongside caring for her mother Petronella, who lives with Lewy body dementia. Through Dementia Australia, she found community, became an advocate, and now speaks openly about asking for help as an act of love, for others and yourself. 

  

NEED SUPPORT?  

Contact the National Dementia Helpline: 1800 100 500. Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week - funded by the Australian Government. 

  

SERVICES & RESOURCES  

Find links, services and information from this episode → https://www.dementia.org.au/episode-community-support

  

EPISODE CREDITS 

Produced by Liam Riordan | Sound design by Slade Gibson | Executive producers: Sarah Dabro and Kellie Riordan | Production manager: Ann Chesterman 

  

FOLLOW DEMENTIA AUSTRALIA  

Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn 

  

Dementia Australia and Deadset Studios acknowledge the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.  

Dementia Australia acknowledges and appreciates the support of the Australian Government for this initiative.

Community can make all the difference when dementia enters a family. From practical help to emotional support, there are so many ways that people can stay connected.

In our Ask Us Anything episodes, you send us your questions about living with dementia and we’ll answer them as honestly as we can. Nothing is off limits here! 

We give advice on supporting people with dementia in public spaces, and ways to connect with other people in your community going through a similar experience.  

  

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ABOUT THIS EPISODE 

This ‘Ask Us Anything’ episode was hosted by Jim Rogers with advice from Rose, a Policy Advisor at Dementia Australia.  

  

NEED SUPPORT?  

Contact the National Dementia Helpline: 1800 100 500. Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week - funded by the Australian Government. 

  

SERVICES & RESOURCES  

Find links, services and information from this episode → https://www.dementia.org.au/episode-community-support

  

EPISODE CREDITS 

Produced by Liam Riordan | Sound design by Slade Gibson | Executive producers: Sarah Dabro and Kellie Riordan | Production manager: Ann Chesterman 

  

FOLLOW DEMENTIA AUSTRALIA  

Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn 

  

Dementia Australia and Deadset Studios acknowledge the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.

Dementia Australia acknowledges and appreciates the support of the Australian Government for this initiative.

Hold the Moment is a podcast from Dementia Australia, produced by Deadset Studios and hosted by Jim Rogers and Hamish Macdonald.

 

ABOUT THE GUESTS

Deanne is a carer and advocate who supported both her parents through complex health challenges, including her father’s Lewy body dementia. With nearly 25 years in banking, she has seen the impact of delayed estate planning and is passionate about encouraging early, proactive decision-making following a dementia diagnosis.

Age Discrimination Commissioner Robert Fitzgerald AM is a respected lawyer and advocate with extensive experience across government and community sectors. He champions the rights of older people, and is working to reduce ageism, prevent abuse and strengthen protections through policy leadership and cross-sector collaboration.

 

NEED SUPPORT?  

Contact the National Dementia Helpline: 1800 100 500. Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week - funded by the Australian Government.

 

SERVICES & RESOURCES  

Find links, services and information from this episode → https://www.dementia.org.au/episode-staying-control

 

EPISODE CREDITS 

Produced by Liam Riordan | Sound design by Slade Gibson Executive producers: Sarah Dabro and Kellie Riordan | Production manager: Ann Chesterman

 

FOLLOW DEMENTIA AUSTRALIA  

Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn 

 

Dementia Australia and Deadset Studios acknowledge the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.

Dementia Australia acknowledges and appreciates the support of the Australian Government for this initiative.

Managing money is tricky for anyone, and dementia can make it even harder. So what are the best ways to keep control and make informed choices around our finances?

In our Ask Us Anything episodes, you send us your questions about living with dementia and we’ll answer them as honestly as we can. Nothing is off limits here!

We discuss putting the right supports in place, and what to do if you’re worried someone might be taking advantage of a person living with dementia.

  

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ABOUT THIS EPISODE 

This ‘Ask Us Anything’ episode was hosted by Jim Rogers with advice from Rose, a Policy Advisor at Dementia Australia.

 

NEED SUPPORT?

Contact the National Dementia Helpline: 1800 100 500. Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week — funded by the Australian Government.

 

SERVICES & RESOURCES

Find links, services and information from this episode → https://www.dementia.org.au/episode-staying-control

  

EPISODE CREDITS

Produced by Liam Riordan | Sound design by Slade Gibson Executive producers: Sarah Dabro and Kellie Riordan | Production manager: Ann Chesterman

  

FOLLOW DEMENTIA AUSTRALIA  

Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn 

  

Dementia Australia and Deadset Studios acknowledge the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.  

Dementia Australia acknowledges and appreciates the support of the Australian Government for this initiative.