Wendy and Geoff Donoghue live in north west Tasmania. Wendy, a self-confessed home body, says that attending DSA’s Staying at Home program was ‘the best thing we’ve ever done.’  

Staying at Home is an overnight retreat style program designed for both carers and people living with dementia. 

The program’s focus is on supporting: 

• The carer - to navigate the complexities and challenges they may face during their loved one’s dementia journey.  

• The person living with dementia - through individual support and tailored activities for a more meaningful life experience.  

We asked Wendy how she felt after attending the program, and the impact the experience has had on Geoff, who lives with vascular dementia. 

How did you find out about the Staying at Home program and why did you decide to attend? 

I saw the program advertised on a leaflet I picked up at a local dementia support group. Geoff had never talked about his dementia diagnosis. So that was the main motivator for me. I thought it would be a good way for him to meet people going through the same experience, to widen his network.  

It’s the best thing we’ve ever done - he now realises there are other people going through the dementia experience too. 

We’ve attended two retreats now, at different locations, the second one being a reunion type retreat. We met people from all round Tasmania at both events. We still stay in touch with a number of them. I now don’t feel so alone in my caring role. It’s reassuring to know people are experiencing the same changes as us, living not very far from our suburb.  

How did you feel after you went home? Were there any surprises? 

We felt really happy, like we’d just been on a holiday! We met genuine, caring people at both events – professionals, carers, family members. Geoff has been really keen to share the details of our experience with visitors ever since. I think it’s brought a sense of belonging for him. A big change from not wanting to talk about dementia! 

Part of the program also involves getting ready for the future, knowing what to expect, what we need to do. This has given us both peace of mind. 

There have been some unexpected resources too – the dementia cookbook has been really helpful, and the fridge magnet has become my mantra: ‘If it doesn’t matter, let it go.’ 

Would you recommend Staying at Home to other people? 

Definitely, yes! It’s been such a positive experience for both of us. There’s so much negative stigma around dementia these days. Emma, one of the facilitators, shared her own personal story, about her mum. I was really touched by her readiness to share; it normalised the dementia experience for me. 

The Staying at Home program has reinforced for me how important it is to live in the moment, and we now know help and support isn’t far away. And that we’re not alone, that’s a big thing for both me and Geoff. 

---- 

‘Geoff and Wendy are an amazing couple,’ shares team member Emma.  ‘They’re naturally very social but were starting to notice Geoff’s friends didn’t know how to respond to his diagnosis.’ 

‘Geoff still drives, and now he picks up one of his new friends living with dementia and brings him home for a visit. We’re pleased the couple benefitted so much from attending both events, and we’d like to help more people like Geoff and Wendy at what can be a challenging time of their lives.’ 

Want to find out more? 

Here is the link to Staying at Home