The Dementia Mentors: Lessons from my Senior Peers

Overview

A provincial hospital in western Japan offers an unconventional mentoring service for those newly diagnosed with dementia and their families - one where the mentors themselves have dementia too. We document these "senior peers" offering first-hand advice to patients and families living through the shock of diagnosis, even as they themselves struggle to come to terms with their own worsening symptoms. From overcoming stigma and misunderstanding to facing the fear of losing their own identity, this account provides a moving and revealing insight into the challenges faced by those affected by this ever more prevalent condition.