health
Pony therapy for patients is one of the latest therapies introduced by a Scottish couple so patients can experience the healing effects of animals. I ask Daphne whether cats or dogs could be an alternative, but she makes a valid point: “Not everyone will go for that because if they didn´t like animals before dementia, I don´t think they would feel encouraged or agree to having pets around. I know there have been a few soft toy animals at Mount Alvernia where patients stroke them as if they were real”. Daphne recalls watching BBC programme The Restaurant That Makes Mistakes. An emotional series where dementia patients - people who were once gynaecologists, doctors, lawyers - are hired as food servers. They GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2019
It's a highly emotional, confusing and scary journey would note meal orders but within seconds the information would slip away, only to return to the waiting tables to ask customers for their choices once again. Overall, the show emphasised that despite their illness, they still could play a vital role in society. Daphne does not hesitate to say that dementia stigma exists in Gibraltar, emphasising how families feel hesitant to reveal someone is suffering from this condition. Often, she says, there
can be a mix up between a failing memory and mental illness – something which she already experienced with her father, which is why, I believe, she has an unwavering determination to spread awareness. “GADS wants to change how people with dementia are viewed. We are the only support group to help people handle such situations. If you know someone at work has this condition, we should all be able to understand what it is to live with dementia so you can allow this person to continue working for as long as possible”. The emphasis is on adopting a healthy lifestyle, but in the same breath, Daphne highlights a common phrase: “You can have 59