
Ruth Langsford urges people to join Cardiff Memory Walk
The cause is deeply personal for Ms Langsford, whose father died with dementia and whose mother is now living with the condition.
Ms Langsford said: "By coming together and taking part in a Memory Walk, we can pave the way to dementia no longer devastating lives by helping to fund Alzheimer's Society's vital support services today and groundbreaking research for the future.
"It is so difficult to watch someone you love fade away little by little, but I've also seen the incredible difference support and care can make, not just to the person with dementia but their families."
Ms Langsford, who has taken part in the walks for 15 years, described the event as a powerful way to honour loved ones and raise vital funds.
She said the walks offer a sense of togetherness, a chance to reflect, and the satisfaction of making a real difference.
There are around one million people living with dementia in the UK, including 50,000 in Wales.
Last year, the charity's Dementia Support Line answered nearly 60,000 calls from people in need.
The walks take place between September and October and are free to join.
To sign up, visit the Memory Walk website.

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South Wales Argus
a day ago
- South Wales Argus
Ruth Langsford urges people to join Cardiff Memory Walk
The TV presenter and Alzheimer's Society ambassador is encouraging people across Wales to join one of the charity's 12 Memory Walks this autumn, including one in Cardiff's Bute Park on Sunday, September 12. The cause is deeply personal for Ms Langsford, whose father died with dementia and whose mother is now living with the condition. Ms Langsford said: "By coming together and taking part in a Memory Walk, we can pave the way to dementia no longer devastating lives by helping to fund Alzheimer's Society's vital support services today and groundbreaking research for the future. "It is so difficult to watch someone you love fade away little by little, but I've also seen the incredible difference support and care can make, not just to the person with dementia but their families." Ms Langsford, who has taken part in the walks for 15 years, described the event as a powerful way to honour loved ones and raise vital funds. She said the walks offer a sense of togetherness, a chance to reflect, and the satisfaction of making a real difference. There are around one million people living with dementia in the UK, including 50,000 in Wales. Last year, the charity's Dementia Support Line answered nearly 60,000 calls from people in need. The walks take place between September and October and are free to join. To sign up, visit the Memory Walk website.


Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Common sleeping habit 'change' could signal you have dementia
Experts have warned that the change may indicate something more serious An Alzheimer's charity has warned people that a change in their sleep could signal that they - or someone they know - could have dementia. People who have this condition often experience "physical changes in their brain" and as a result, sleep can be impacted. While we all struggle to sleep every now and again, if there's no real cause for your sleeping habits to change, you may want to seek further help from your doctor. According to experts at Alzheimer's Society, "a person with dementia may have problems with sleeping at night, and may sleep more during the day. "They may find it difficult to get to sleep or they may wake up in the night" meaning they never feel fully rested. They stress that poor sleep can make the symptoms of dementia worse, meaning a lack of sleep can make it even harder to cope with what a person is going through. The experts add that a person living with dementia requires regular, quality sleep to support their overall well-being. In fact, most adults need between seven and nine hours of sleep each night. A good sleep can: improve mood enhance mental clarity support a strong immune system help reduce the risk of falls and accidents lower physical stress on the body Explaining why people with dementia may see a change in their sleeping habits, they say that "the body clock of a person with dementia may become damaged, making it harder for them to feel awake and alert during the day". This is why they may also feel sleepy during the evening too. Melatonin, the sleeping hormone, can even be impacted by damage to the person's internal body clock, causing the hormone levels to rise at the wrong time. Exposure to bright light during the day - especially in the morning - and dimmer lighting in the evening can help support a more regular sleep-wake cycle. Urging people to seek help from their GP if their sleeping has been impacted - whether suddenly or by diagnosed dementia - the Alzheimer's Society explains: "Sleeping well can be difficult for a person aged over 55, as the parts of the brain that control sleep may not work as well An older person is likely to go to sleep earlier and may have difficulty sleeping through the night as much as they used to." What are the signs and symptoms of dementia? Different types of dementia can affect people differently, and everyone will experience symptoms in their own way. However, there are some common early symptoms that may appear some time before a diagnosis of dementia, reports the NHS. These symptoms include: memory loss difficulty concentrating finding it hard to carry out familiar daily tasks, such as getting confused over the correct change when shopping struggling to follow a conversation or find the right word being confused about time and place mood changes The most common cause of dementia is Alzheimer's disease. Common symptoms of Alzheimer's disease include: memory problems, such as regularly forgetting recent events, names and faces asking questions repetitively increasing difficulties with tasks and activities that require organisation and planning becoming confused in unfamiliar environments difficulty finding the right words difficulty with numbers and/or handling money in shops becoming more withdrawn or anxious


Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- Daily Mirror
'My mum's got dementia and my kids are too scared to visit her'
Resident agony aunt Coleen Nolan has advice for a struggling reader whose mum's illness is making him feel guilty because he doesn't really want to go see her any more I'm a married man in my 40s and my mum, who's in her 70s, has had dementia for a couple of years. In this time, she's gone from being a sweet, kind person to someone who's really aggressive and verbally abusive. Sadly, my kids now get frightened by her when we visit her in her care home, so I've stopped taking them. My wife is very supportive and has gone over and above to help me out, but I don't want to burden her too much with how I'm feeling, as she has other things on her plate. It feels lonely and incredibly depressing. I feel like a bad person when I don't visit my mum and maybe I am selfish, but sometimes I have to cut myself off from her altogether to cope. I'd be very grateful for any advice you might have. Coleen says Firstly, you need to know you're not alone in this. I've been through the same, feeling incredible guilt over dreading going to see my mum. She had Alzheimer's and had very similar behaviour to your mum so I understand how hard it is to cope with. I used to go to bed at night, praying for God to take her peacefully because it was so awful for her and so tormenting for us. READ MORE: 'I love my partner but her three daughters can be so demanding' You mustn't ever feel you're a bad son or you've failed her. Please speak to the Alzheimer's Society ( We spoke to them a lot when my mum was ill and they helped me see everything I was feeling was OK and normal. You can join the online community and find support near you, and there's a support line (0333 150 3456). I'm lucky in that I come from a big family, so we had each other to talk to and could share visits. So, for you, I think it would be so helpful to connect with other people who are going through it with a relative or have been through it. You should still talk to your friends. They may not have personal experience, but they can still listen and be there for you. It's important to look after yourself, find ways to relax and get some respite, and you mustn't feel guilty for that. Even though she can't communicate it, you know your mum wouldn't want you to feel burdened or guilty.