Welcome to Dementia Tech Care Consulting.
Here's my story.
My expertise lies in caring for my elderly mother who has (Alzheimer's) dementia, from halfway across the world for over four years. She lives in the UK, whilst I have resided in many countries including the USA. My experience is specifically in managing long-distance care. I wanted to keep my mama, who had dementia, at home for as long as possible. I know the day will come when I can no longer do that, and I've planned for that too (that's the care home section)
My journey into consulting began unexpectedly in Scotland, where I shared my experiences with many others navigating similar challenges. Encouraged by a social worker, I formalised this into a consulting business aimed at helping families cope with dementia and elder care, drawing on years of research and practical solutions.
With over four years of managing remote caregiving, I've implemented technological solutions to enhance my Mama's quality of life and safety. Now, I offer consulting services to empower families facing similar situations, utilising my expertise to guide you through the complexities of dementia care and introduce innovative approaches.
When I began this journey, I found no support for caring from afar. No help from healthcare or government. Many suggested I uproot my life, give up work and stay at home. That wasn't an option. Instead, I embraced the challenge. My main objective was to keep Mama at home for as long as possible: safe, independent, and comfortable in her own home and familiar surroundings.
Dementia presents many challenges—one of the toughest being that Mama didn’t realise she had it and believed she could manage daily tasks on her own. She was fiercely independent, and over the past four years, I’ve implemented various solutions to make her life (and mine) easier, without making her feel sickly or dependent.
Let me be clear when I tell you that I was on my own. The people surrounding me distanced themselves, either from ignorance, guilt, or just knowing that if they acknowledged something was wrong, they would have to "deal with it and help." And not one person wanted to do that. I don't blame them. Dementia is daunting. Watching an independent lady who has been so healthy throughout her whole life succumb to this is not easily accepted.
Every corner I turned, I hit a brick wall. Every step forward was four steps back. I researched and read, but there was not one source out there to help.
"It's not possible" everyone would tell me. "There's just no way" Over and over.
In my opinion and experience, GPs and health "professionals" are not educated enough in this disease to know what is required. So whilst you are fighting to source help and procure what your loved one is entitled to, the NHS or government will not help you. Like any government entity, they will hound you if you owe them money and quickly get in touch when you are late or have not paid what's due. But they will never tell you what you are entitled to, especially whilst you keep your loved one at home.
This is why I built this website: to offer advice and support to others facing similar struggles. Despite the challenges (and there were many), my dedication remains steadfast in improving care outcomes.
Caring for a loved one from afar is challenging, but technology can help. Technology can vary greatly, from a simple phone adjustment to make connecting with loved ones easier, to adding a voice-activated device to turn off lights, connect with your loved one whilst halfway across the world so they think you are next door, helping people remain independent at home. These are the kinds of adjustments I can suggest.
Caregiving is daunting and incredibly hard, especially when you are caring from afar. Only those who have been or are caregivers will understand. "Afar" could be halfway across the world or 10 miles up the road. It's hard. But it's manageable with the right resources and technologies, even if you're not tech-savvy.
Don't be afraid of technology. The way I write out your care plan will make it simple and step-by-step. I'll even throw in some pictures to help if needed.
I will consult with you and try to help. If your situation involves different logistics or regions that I am not familiar with, I will be honest about my limitations and let you know if I am unable to assist you. Despite the challenges of long-distance caregiving and the lack of available resources, I've successfully ensured the safety and health of my loved one through diligent research, organisation, planning, and creative problem-solving.
My aim is to improve independent living, enhance the flexibility of available support, and expand awareness of the technology available for those in need of care. I've experienced firsthand how frustrating it can be, but also how invaluable it is for peace of mind when it works.
My goal is to provide you with the support and information needed to navigate this journey successfully.