127 Finding the light in dementia, with Dr Jane Mullins

07/20/21 • 41 min

A diagnosis of dementia can be scary, not just for those suffering with the disease, but those close to them too. As the dementia progresses, communications skills can be lost and the loved ones surrounding the dementia patient often wonder how they can communicate with their loved one.

Dr Jane Mullins has spent her career working with people who have neuro degenerative conditions and researching dementia. After working in memory clinics and as a care home manager, Jane completed her PhD which centred around communicating with people who have dementia through sensory ways.

Her projected specifically explored using tourism memories and multi-sensory communication strategies to help couples rekindle their couplehood.

Using the knowledge from her PhD research and the experience gained from her career and research, Jane went on to publish a book Finding the Light In Dementia. The book offers support and help along the way when you or a friend or relative is diagnosed with dementia.

More recently Jane has set her sights to creating a training programme for families and care providers to teach them how to develop a connection between the individual requiring care and those providing it.

In our conversation Jane talks about what she learnt from her PhD research project, and how anyone can use photos and props to start an engaging conversation with someone suffering with dementia. She also shares her motivation behind setting up the training programme and why she believes it could make a difference to the dementia care industry.

Her projected specifically explored using tourism memories and multi-sensory communication strategies to help couples rekindle their couplehood.

Previous Episode

126 Supporting your ageing parents, with Jackie Cleveland

Planning for later life can be difficult. Whether you are planning for your own future or for a loved one, the subject of growing old can be emotional and easy to avoid.

And it is often made even more difficult when you start researching and are bombarded with a ton of information comprised of technical terminology.

Jackie Cleveland was faced with this issue when her mother-in-law wanted to start thinking about her future. With very little information and understanding about the options available to them, Jackie undertook the task of researching.

She soon discovered that the there was a wealth of information out there but trying to sift through it all was a bit overwhelming. This experience inspired her to set up Podplan, a service that collates all the information one might need when researching and planning for later life.

In our conversation Jackie shares the story behind Podplan, how Podplan can help anyone looking to the future and why it is so important to plan for any event that might occur as you enjoy later life.

Next Episode

128 The 9 Accelerators of Successful Retirement Planning - Asset Allocation

We’ve all heard that ‘cash is king’, but is it when it comes to funding your retirement?

Inflation can ravage your retirement savings, which you need to grow to retain the value of your income in retirement. Which is why cash shouldn’t be the only way to hold your retirement money. The expected return on cash is much lower than the expected return on property, commodities, or equities. That is why asset allocation is such an important part of your retirement planning.

My wife and business partner, Kathy, is back with me this week to discuss what asset allocation is and how the different types of assets have different roles to play in your financial plan.