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Tov,r .aye aop br€++ dLEcov<red htE lovtnq tather bob had geen dtaqnceed wtlh aenertfta, qf
fhe $unq aqi ol b5. Srnce +ha+ rnorrrcnf gret+ hae dedicateq hLe frrne +a ni oniy cucp orltnq
hte fother bul aleo advocahnq tor the vnporlance of reeearch tnto a hearlbreaLinq' condtf"in
Jfiere is iifi1€ knawVdqe abauf.
Dementia is alsr: known as'The Long Goodbye', sonnething
Brett is fanriliar with as lre continues to watch his father
and best friend lose his cognitive funcfions, including
memory loss and speech.
"My fiiurn was the finst to know, btrt she kept her fears to
herself sc as not to worry our farnily," tsrett said.
"Mum kept going to elifferent doctors to hopefuily get a
different diagncsis. She just couldn't l:elieve it. My dad was
t00 young, too fit and too heaithy."
Since finding out about Bob's diagnosis, Brett and his family
have rallied around him.
"Once we knew, I Lregan to notice the small signs such
as dad losing hls keys, slurring lris speech and forgetting
recent conversaticns we had tcgether"
"Dad became depressed anel confused - he didn't know
what was going on," Bnett said.
The nredication Bob was prescribed to minimise the
symptoms of dementia unfontunately had a negative effect
on his pensonality, as he changed from the loving and
placid rnan his farnily had known their whole lives.
The negative effect this medication hacl on Bob was
a reaction doctors couldn't predict and after several
aggressive incidents resulted in him having to be
hospitalised.
After six weeks Bob was able to return home, but
unfortunately he was still not himself and Brett decided to
mcve baek in to his parent's home to ensure his murn was
^^r^5dtc.
"He becerne deiusionai and was hallucinating - ue were
lcsing the man we loved so ;'nue h!
"Living at my parent's house put a stress on my own farnily
as I wasn't around for rny own wife and kids."
The stness on both hinrself and his mum soon became
evident to Brett and he and the family had to make the sad
and diffieult deeision to place Bob in a niirsing home.
"l-le lcoked wrong in a nursing hcme with people 20-30
years olde;'than hirn. lt was so hard to comprehend as he is
so yourig and fit."
Now Brell visits his dael at the nursing home every day
and has also fcrrneC a lifestyle group where he elrganises
sporting aeLivities as a source of therapy and reiease for
Bob and other denrentia patients.
"lot only Co I get tr: spend great quality time with dad and
lrave a positive.iourney but I aiso have the opportunity to
learn about other people with dernenfia," Brett said.
"l never thcught I would find ri'lyself caring for my dad
every tjey * it has its highs arrd lows btit I absolutely love
,: ...-
:.:,.:.i.
the faet that I can spend so rnueh precicus i.irne with hirn.
"The future is going to be tough, but that's the nature of
the beast."
Whilsi earing for his dad, Bretl continues to fight for
vital reseerch into dennentia and strives to edueate the
comnrunity about the effects of this tragic condition.
"l arn f,"qhhnq for people wifh dernenh,a;'
You can help support vital dernentia research by making a
dcnation today * www. hospita lresearch.com.au.