A new 2-part series co-produced by the BBC and The Open University will follow people with dementia and their families over two whole years, highlighting what it is truly like to live with the condition.
Dementia & Us starts on BBC 2 on 5 October at 9pm, telling the story of dementia, by people living with dementia.
With over half a million people diagnosed with dementia in the UK, the series provides deep insight into the development of the condition over a period of time, as we follow the families through the ups and downs of life with a changing brain.
During the series, we follow four individuals living with dementia and those who care for them. Aged 45 to 91 years, they have different types of dementia, at different stages, affected by very different symptoms.
Dr Sam Murphy, Academic Consultant on Dementia & Us and Associate Head of School for Health, Social Care and Social Work at the OU commented on how series focussed on the perspective of those directly affected by dementia:
“It was really satisfying to work on this ground-breaking production where the focus was on hearing from the people with dementia directly. The episodes also give a unique insight into how the pandemic impacted upon their experiences.”
Dr Geraldine Boyle, Academic Consultant and Senior Lecturer in Nursing at the OU also reflected on how programme deals with the challenges created by the pandemic for those with the condition:
‘This production explores life when living with dementia or supporting a loved one with the condition. It highlights key challenges associated with this illness, but also the additional difficulties posed by the pandemic. The production shows how people endeavour to overcome the challenges they face with strength, hope and determination’.
The series is voiced by Dreane Williams, a dementia campaigner, amateur poet and retired NHS hospital worker who has vascular dementia herself. Dreane is a diarist for Dementia Diaries, a UK-wide project that acts as a video archive for the personal experience of those with dementia, aiming to prompt dialogue and change attitudes.
Find out more
This series was commissioned by Broadcast and Partnerships and is supported by WELS, with particular relevance to R26 – BA (Hons) Health and Social Care
This series is also relevant for the nursing and social work programmes including module KYN210 – Understanding nursing: knowledge and theory. This module is part of the undergrad nursing degree and includes a significant focus on dementia with film clips from the production used in the module.
Visit our NEW Broadcast & Partnerships site where you can find interviews of people with dementia talking about their condition. Also, how to look after your own wellbeing when caring for others along with extensive resources and information on the topic of Dementia.
- Commissioned by Dr Caroline Ogilvie, Head of Broadcast & Partnerships
- Academic Consultants: Dr Geraldine Boyle and Dr Sam Murphy
- Media Fellow: Dr Mathijs Lucassen
- Broadcast Project Manager: David Bloomfield
- Broadcast Platforms and Public Engagement Manager: Chris Belson
