Apr 3, 2017
At the end of a small cul-de-sac in the charming town of Topsham, Devon sit three modest bungalows. Only their location – each has stunning views over the estuary – hints at the magic within. For together they form The Mede, a holiday home-cum-day club for people...
Mar 4, 2017
Fly me to the moon Let me play among the stars Let me see what spring is like on Jupiter and Mars In other words, hold my hand In other words, baby, kiss me Written by Bart Howard, 1954 Matthew Seager’s debut play IN OTHER WORDS distils dementia – what it is to...
Feb 22, 2017
My mum, who had dementia, lived the last seven years of her life in two nursing homes. The first was carefully chosen by dad, vetted by us three children and considered the most loving environment of those on offer. As many people do, we found ourselves chasing a...
Feb 2, 2017
As some of you may know I’ve just had my first novel published; I’d like to thank everyone who has said kind words about it and generally supported me in all kinds of ways. Publicising Invisible Ink, writing and talking about it, I’ve come to it afresh and gathered...
Nov 30, 2016
When I heard that Wendy Mitchell had had her state funded personal independence payment (or PIP) taken away I could, sadly, believe it because I’d had much the same experience with my parents who were both denied state funding for which they quite obviously...
Oct 17, 2016
I’ve been in reflective mood recently. My only daughter left home for university last month. My role as a mum has changed, my nest is empty. As I – and doubtless countless others before me – have found, at pivotal times in my parental role I remember my own parents...
Sep 14, 2016
Seventeen care workers are suing a council contractor for failing to pay them the minimum wage in a case which their union says involves the worst breaches of wage law that it’s ever seen. The employees’ wage slips appear to show that they are being paid £3.27 an hour...
Jul 25, 2016
Dr Kate Granger was bemused when people told her (as they often did) that she was inspirational. She described herself in typically down-to-earth fashion as “Just a Yorkshire lass trying to deal with a horrible situation in the most positive way I can manage”. Kate,...
Jun 16, 2016
I love gardening, as did my dad. It’s being outside, hearing the birdsong, smelling the earthiness of the soil, seeing green shoots magically appear from seeds you’ve sewn. Now this fulfilling pursuit is increasingly being used to help care home residents and those...
Jun 4, 2016
The first thing I’d like to say in this blog is: thank you. I’m not a fan of capitals, but if I were those two words would be in the headline writer’s huge 72 point, all upper case. My 72 point thank you is to Chris and Jayne Roberts and their family for having the...
