Dementia Diaries can educate all generations on the challenges of mental health

A collection of true stories, gathered from young people who have had first-hand experience of living with dementia, are to be recognised at the NHS England’s Excellence in Participation awards.

The ‘Dementia Diaries’ are a range of ‘touching and funny’ stories, written for young people by Matthew Snyman thanks to an initiative by the Social Innovation Lab for Kent (SILK) working on behalf on the local authority.

The young people, dealing with dementia in their grandparents, were asked to describe both positive and negative stories. They recorded their experiences of good and bad days, which can be used to help other young people better understand conditions like Alzheimer’s and the challenges they present within families and communities.

Graham Gibbens, Kent County Council cabinet member for adult social care and public health, comments: “I’m delighted that the Dementia Diaries have been nationally recognised as an excellent example of how we are getting young people involved with understanding dementia and reducing stigma.

“Dementia does not just affect the person living with it, it affects the whole family and community around that person. These diaries will help the next generation learn about and accept what it is like to live with dementia, building a tolerant and supportive community for the future.”

The Dementia Diaries is now available in every Kent primary and secondary school and plans are under way to develop it into an intergenerational learning resource for the benefit of teachers and students.

Judges at the Health and Care Innovation Expo 2014, which hosted the awards, were highly impressed by the results and the book is now available on Amazon with proceeds going towards making Kent a dementia-friendly community.