New podcast gives a voice to people living with a dementia diagnosis

A leading author and a global expert on dementia join forces in a powerful new podcast series, hearing from people living with dementia.

The Dementia Podcast: Starting Conversations gives a lived experience perspective on the often-unspoken journey of dementia diagnosis and the seismic life change it may bring.

Ailsa Wild (The Care Factor, You’ll be a Wonderful Dad – Hardie Grant Books) brings her curiosity and compassion into conversations with neighbour Clare who lives with dementia, cared for by partner Jim.

As their moving story unfolds across seven episodes, A/Prof Colm Cunningham of HammondCare’s Dementia Centre shares his expertise through observations, insights and interviews with other international experts.

And Dr Sally Cockburn (also known as Dr Feelgood on 3AW) brings the GP perspective.

Produced by Joel Martin, the series breathes life, emotion, dignity and hope into a complex and sometimes harrowing topic.

“The podcast is more about being tangibly present in the lives of real people affected by dementia in different ways,” says A/Prof Cunningham.

“To hear Clare tell her story, and Jim share alongside her, while Ailsa so naturally opens up the dynamics of what is unfolding so we can all be part of it, is an important creative development in how we learn about living with dementia.”

“In the past it was too common that the voices of people living with dementia were drowned out by the opinion of others. Today people with dementia are front and centre, often helping set the agenda about how they want to be seen, and that’s a big shift reflected in The Dementia Podcast.”

The Dementia Podcast: Starting Conversations launches this week on all popular podcast platforms and continues weekly across seven episodes, which can be found here.