Eighteen-year-old Isla Gauld has made a film about her grandfather's dementia: 'My gramps was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease almost seven years ago, this is my Final Major Project dedicated to him.'
Isla is the niece of my colleague Eley McAinsh, and all her relatives are, understandably, proud of what the student has created to honour their beloved 'Ken', who is living with a disease affecting the entire family.
Click here to watch Isla's film Living with Dementia: Ken's story.
Dementia affects one person in six over 80, and one in three over 95. By 2025, the number of people living with dementia in Britain is expected to rise from 850,000 to 1.14 million. By 2051, it is projected to exceed 2 million, according to Age UK's Later Life UK factsheet.
The carefully crafted film shows the impact of a diagnosis of Alzheimer's on Isla's own family members, implicitly arguing that just as one can live happily with dementia and life doesn't end with diagnosis, equally no one who loses their memory should ever be forgotten. Clearly, this has been a labour of love for Isla. Her aunt, Eley, says, 'I’m biased, but I find it incredibly moving.'