He spoke to Belfast Live to mark Dementia Action Week
This is Belfast man Paul McCooey who was recently diagnosed with dementia after he began to notice issues with his eyesight.
The 71-year-old from north Belfast spoke to Belfast Live to mark Dementia Action Week (18-24 May), which aims to bring together local organisations and community groups who support people living with dementia, along with their carers, families, and loved ones.
Paul told us: “My diagnosis was quite quick. I knew there was something wrong with me, but I didn’t know what it was. I went to the doctor and then I was referred to hospital for all sorts of tests before it was confirmed that I have one of the rarer forms of dementia.
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“It was about three years ago when I noticed that I couldn’t see things. They’d be there and sometimes they wouldn’t be there.
“I was also putting things down and then when I went to pick them up, I couldn’t see them. I went to the optician who ended up leading the way towards other things in terms of investigations that eventually led to the diagnosis.”
An MRI scan at Musgrave Park Hospital was the end result as Paul, a former archaeologist, explained: “I wasn’t sure what the outcome was going to be but my mother had dementia so I was half thinking down that line. I was still very shocked whenever I found out that it was dementia so it was a bit of a bombshell.
“The medical team didn’t talk over me, they talked to me and explained everything so I was quite happy with it in that sense.”
Since his diagnosis, Paul has found a lifeline through the support of his peers after joining his local Dementia NI Empowerment Group.
His wife Sue added: “Paul had just retired and I actually thought that it was all maybe the frustration of not being busy all the time, because he had a very busy life and job, so he wasn’t doing anything and I thought that was part of it.
“Paul went into overdrive at first when we got the diagnosis but then came to terms with it. He wasn’t sure what to do with himself really and it was then that we called into Dementia NI at Duncairn and that was a good call because they were brilliant.
“We have two sons it was hard for them but they’ve adapted very well to it all and help out when Paul needs it. It has been hard but we just take it as it comes. Paul would always have been the one that would have organised things so I’m having to do that now and make a bit of a mess of it at times!”
Paul added: “I’m getting through life and it’s not really impinging on me that much most of the time, but it does, obviously, when I’m trying to do certain things and sometimes I stop talking because I can’t work out what I’m trying to say.
“Dementia NI have put a completely different spin on it, a different perspective, and give you a sense of hope and a chance to move forward rather than being in the same place. Their meetings are good because nobody really sits there and says nothing. Everybody always has something to say. Sometimes it’s brilliant, sometimes it’s maybe not brilliant, but it doesn’t matter that’s not the point.”
“There’s no rules or regulations as everybody who’s there knows what it’s like and unfortunately we have a lot of experience. There’s a lot of humour in the group with people – it’s one for all and all for one.”
To find out more about the work of Dementia NI and its network of Empowerment Groups, visit www.dementiani.org or call 028 96931555.
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