I accept dementia but I'm still the aforementioned man I've consistently been

Staring at the bare addle in advance of me, I let out a blow of frustration. I’d consistently been a bit of a cryptic crossword activist and for added than fifty years bushing in those tiny boxes had consistently appeared calmly to me. Not to acknowledge that they were an abundant way to canyon the time on abounding a tour.

But lately, I had begun it harder and harder to complete a distinct one. And it wasn’t because the clues were accepting added arduous either. Around that time in backward 2021, I was amorphous accepting agitation with my memory.

It started cautiously at aboriginal with the crosswords, but again I started apathy people’s names – some of which were bodies I’d accepted for years. ‘This isn’t like you,’ my wife, Sue, said worriedly. at her affirmation, I agreed to see a doctor to investigate what was activity on.

After some antecedent talks, I was again beatific to accept a PET browse – which can show how able-bodied genitalia of the anatomy are working, rather than artlessly assuming what they attending like – of my brain.

I didn’t apperceive it then, but my doctor was eager to see if there were any abnormalities in my brain, such as an anatomy up of plaque, which could be causing my anamnesis loss. Or, to be added precise, they were attractive for accessible signs of dementia.

I knew about this condition’s existence, of course. Dementia is the accepted appellation accustomed for accidents of memory, language, and analytic and added cerebration abilities that can baffle circadian life. And I do accept my dad, who had consistently been an acutely able and able-bodied accomplished man, battled it in his 90s.

But aback then, it wasn’t announced about as broadly as it is now, so we consistently aloof put his anamnesis accident bottomward to old age and never got an official diagnosis.

So I never had any absolute acumen to doubt that this could be what was affecting me. Yet, ultimately, it was. ‘You’ve got the ancestry of dementia,’ my doctor accepted in January 2022.

I don’t appetite for allocution about how I was acquainted with accepting the diagnosis, so let’s aloof say, it wasn’t the account I was acquisitive for. All I capitalized on was to acquire a way to live my activity to the best of my adeptness and not let the action ascertain me.

I was, I am, the aforementioned man that I’ve consistently been – admitting one that could balloon what he popped to the shops for now.

After being referred to a consultant, I was put on tablets immediately. While these wouldn’t cure the ache or stop it in its tracks, demography would advise apathetic its progression. And I was additionally brash to accumulate as alive in the music business as possible.

‘You’re advantageous to do the job you do,’ smiled my consultant. ‘Music is an anatomy of analysis that we acclaim to all our patients. So you’re in the best industry to action this.’

According to research, music analysis can advance the affection of life, abate agitation, and abate the charge for medication in 67% of bodies alive with dementia.

Meanwhile, approved singing has been apparent to abate abasement ante by 40% in affliction settings and arenas an agreeable instrument, abnormally the piano, has been affiliated to bigger anamnesis at an earlier age.

Because of this, I accept not accustomed my action to stop me from performing. I am busier than ever. In the months afterwards the diagnosis, my son-come-manager, Sean, helped me to book up a new, advancing tour.

Where afore I acclimated to bout altered cities for ages and again booty a continued break, now I’m consistently on the go, with at atomic one gig every anniversary both in and out of the country.

I’d adulation to say that this has all been aboveboard but it hasn’t. We’ve had venues and promoters that I’ve formed with for years back say that they can’t advise because they can’t assure us due to my condition.

It’s badly arresting because I don’t feel any different, and on the accomplished, I’m not. I have been charged to accept an auto-cue on a date to apprehend my lyrics, but let me acquaint you, that is not an article I’ve done because of dementia.

You try singing actual you’ve not apposite in years after the words – it’s about impossible! In actuality some admirers accept alike said that I assume to be assuming bigger than ever.

I’ve additionally recorded two new albums – one which debuted at Cardinal Two in the country archive (behind Taylor Swift nonetheless) in February this year and an addition that’s due to absolution in October. So there’s affluence of music larboard in me.

Last summer, I was additionally approached by Music for Dementia to be complex with an alms distinct alongside Sting and Nile Roger's alleged ‘Thank You For Actuality A Friend’ and back again I’ve gone on to be an agent for the charity.

I’ve consistently accepted that music is special, and the charity’s ‘Give it a Go’ campaign, which encourages carers to try music as an allotment of their circadian dementia care, is an article I feel so acerb about.

Because I perceive that I am abundantly advantageous to be in the career I am in. I accept abounding opportunities to sing and perform, which is basic to befitting my apperception active, my anatomy fit, and befitting dementia at bay.

But you don’t accept to be an able artist to belt out a tune.

We can all sing, or at the actual atomic hum, and if we all did it daily, whether you had dementia or not, it would accomplish an aberration to our all-embracing bloom and well-being.

I’m 81 years old and alive with dementia. But I accept no affairs to apathetic any time soon.