Blog: 'Awareness training on dementia opened my eyes to disease'

After taking part in Age Scotland's awareness training on dementia, our communications officer Sheanne Mulholland shares what she learned through the workshop…

Did you know that some people living with dementia can find it difficult to interpret patterned flooring or differentiate between colours - to the point where they could see a dark mat on a carpet as a hole in the ground?

I certainly didn’t know that until I participated in Age Scotland’s Dementia Awareness Training, and it made me realise how different and potentially scary the world can be for some people with the disease.

The online workshop opened my eyes to everyday occurrences like this which can be misinterpreted by people living with dementia.

Mixer taps for example, doorways at right angles and modern/creative interpretations of essential signage, such as public toilets, can be extremely confusing.

It’s well documented that some types of dementia – and there are more than 100 – can cause people to forget familiar people’s names and faces.

But I didn’t realise that in some cases that could even go as far as people not recognising their own face in a mirror.