MAXINE GORDON meets the York man making a Huge impact on how we tackle dementia.

MOST people in York know "Big" Ian Donaghy as the frontman of popular covers band Huge.

But nine-to-five, Ian courts another audience - people working in the field of Alzheimer's.

The father of two has worked in dementia care for several years and now travels the country speaking at conferences to share best practice.

Such is his commitment to improving the lives of people with Alzheimer's and changing popular perceptions and attitudes, he has written a book to raise awareness.

Dear Dementia is pocket-sized and full of pithy and poignant notes from people with dementia, their carers and loved ones.

Ian and his family know only too well the challenges of living with dementia. Ian's Nana, Annie Fox, had dementia, and his mother-in-law, Liz White was diagnosed with early-onset dementia at the age of 58.

In the book, Ian's daughter, Annie, 11 writes: "Dear Dementia, Nana forgets, so I remember."

Other examples include:

  •  "Dear Dementia, 'Does she take sugar?'; 'Does she take porridge?'; 'Does she want to go out?'. Have you made me INVISIBLE? Have I disappeared?"
     
  • "Dear Dementia, I sacrificed everything to give my daughter the career she deserved. How she's sacrificed her career for me. It was never meant to be a LOAN."
     
  •  "Dear Dementia, please stop Dad getting on a train to Blackpool. He lives in Bradford. Not again..."

The book has drawn support from many in the field, including broadcaster Angela Rippon, who is an ambassador for the Alzheimer's Society.

Earlier this year, Ian staged a musical night at the Theatre Royal, which raised £11,000 for the Alzheimer's Society and to help fund the monthly Harmony Cafe, for dementia patients and their carers, at St Aelred's Community Centre, Tang Hall, York.

He believes society is waking up to the dementia timebomb and believes we will see big changes in how we cope with and care for sufferers.

He said: "It's got to be a priority. We can't Hoover around this elephant in the room any more. There can be very few readers who don't know somebody who isn't affected by this."

The key, he believes, is to include people with dementia and to try and see the person behind the condition, and place them at the centre of decisions about care.

Ian's philosophy stems from his earlier career as a teacher, working with children who were excluded from school.

He said: "It's all about the individual, knowing how they work and what makes them tick and celebrating what they can do, not focussing on what they can't."

He added: "We need to learn how to communicate with people and accept them. Thirty years ago, there was pressure on places to be wheelchair friendly, I'd like the equivalent for dementia friendly."

For example, this would involve training people who work with the public to be more aware of the needs of dementia sufferers.

Ian hopes the book encourages this progress.

He said: "Now dementia is on the menu, I'm hoping these pages get people talking."

  •  Dear Dementia, The Laughter and the Tears, by Ian Donaghy (Hawker Publications, £9.99 with 50p from each sale going to Alzheimer's Society).