We need to talk about dementia - and there's no better time.

This week is Dementia Action Week, a change from the usual awareness week as it has been recognised that more must to be done to create the changes in communities that people with dementia need.

Bridport nurse Carole Emmerson has agreed to share the story of her mum, 75-year-old Veronica Lambert, and her experience of the disease.

Veronica had enjoyed a fulfilling career as a nurse for people with learning difficulties. She retired to Bridport with her husband, Owen, after years holidaying in the area. The couple loved the coast and countryside, says Carole, and Veronica settled well into the area, volunteering at Chancery House day care centre, helping out with the local meals on wheels service and working in a charity shop.

"She was very kind and empathic," said Carole. "And always strived to do her best. She was very family-orientated and liked to keep a nice home. As a mum she was always very supportive through our highs and lows and couldn’t do enough for her family. She has always been very generous and giving."

Things began to change for Veronica; she became forgetful, would repeat questions over and over and felt fatigue alongside unexplained stomach pains and headaches.

She was assessed in 2010 and finally began medication for Alzheimers in 2013.

Carole, herself a nurse, moved to the area in September 2014 to help support her mum and stepdad.

"They were obviously struggling and I began to get more involved in mum’s care," said Carole. "I think as a family we struggled on until 2015. We were slow getting support but it’s a very difficult disease to get support for as the person is often very resistant and that makes arranging any support very difficult for the carers. It’s an added stress on top of an already very stressful situation. It needs a lot of careful management that can be totally exhausting."

Carole says the effects of the disease came in phases.

"Mum became less able to do things for herself and is now is dependent for all of her care needs," she said. "She went through a phase of being very paranoid about her money being stolen, hiding money away and being very protective of her handbag. Now she isn’t interested in money at all and doesn’t bother with a purse or handbag - although she did recently try to tip all the money from the tip pot in café Aroma into my purse.

"A couple of years ago she was constantly on the move, not able to sit still for very long, quite agitated at times. At this time we were always on the look out for dementia-friendly activities, where we could go to give her some stimulation and socialisation and where people understand her behaviour and were skilled at keeping her involved and included. Over the past six months she has really slowed down.

"Her caring side shines through her dementia - she is often drawn to people with disabilities, the frail and elderly and children, wanting to help them or show them affection. Sometimes it can seem too much, especially as she has become very disinhibited, but people seem to quickly realise that she has dementia and they are very receptive. Bridport folk are absolutely brilliant - almost everyone has been very accepting. It's amazing really. It can be very moving and she makes people smile and brings a lot of joy to people, especially as she often tells people how lovely they are."

While most of us would recognise forgetfulness as a symptom of dementia, Carole says fewer people understand the behavioural changes of those with the condition.

"People know that people with with dementia have memory problems but I think that strange behaviour, loss of inhibitions, agitation, confusion, anxiety, inability to cope with noise are less well understood."

Sadly, Owen died in September 2017. Veronica has since lived with her daughter, who admirably looks for positives to the situation.

"We regularly adapt our routines according to mum’s needs and abilities," said Carole. "My aim is for her to be as content as possible. She likes to feel loved, as we all do, and I think this is essential in her care. We’ve been very fortunate to find wonderful carers to help me and mum responds very well to them and they are very fond of her. She might do things others find silly when we are out, but I like to laugh with her."

Carole has joined Dementia Friendly Bridport. It aims to make Bridport truly 'dementia friendly' and is seeking input from anyone and everyone about how to do this.

If you, or a someone you know, has the disease, what can be done to help make everyday that little bit easier? The group would like to hear from you.