Supporting children and adolescents
Dementia has an impact on the whole family, including children. Children may see changes occurring in their relative and not understand what is happening, or feel able to talk about it.
We know dementia doesn’t just impact the person with the diagnosis – everyone around them, from family members to friends, is affected in some way.
Changes in behaviour or relationships can be especially hard for children or grandchildren to understand.
We recently conducted research which shows that while most children are receptive to learning more about dementia, it can be hard to explain the condition to them. Furthermore, 64% of parents find drawing can play a helpful part in explaining dementia to children.
With this in mind, we asked children of all ages to submit drawings that describe their experience of dementia. We received a host of brilliant entries which we will be proudly displaying in a pop-up exhibition in London’s Paternoster Square between Monday 11th March and Sunday 17th March 2024.
Visit the exhibition and you’ll also get to speak to Dementia UK volunteers during working hours, and find lots of information about how you can access practical and emotional support in our Living with dementia guide, which you can download for free.
We’re running this exhibition as part of our wider campaign – We live with dementia.
Dementia has an impact on the whole family, including children. Children may see changes occurring in their relative and not understand what is happening, or feel able to talk about it.
If you love someone living with dementia, you’re living with it too.That’s the message behind our new campaign. It doesn’t just affect the person with the diagnosis – everyone around them is also affected. And with one in two of us impacted by dementia in our lifetime – whether by caring for someone with the condition, developing it ourselves, or both – it’s a message that’s as vital as ever.
Whether you have a question that needs an immediate answer or need emotional support when life feels overwhelming, these are the ways our dementia specialist Admiral Nurses can support you.