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Daily Mail
25-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
NRL legend's son opens up about his dad's harrowing battle with dementia
The son of rugby league legend Steve Mortimer has opened up about his dad's ongoing battle with dementia, revealing the footy great now struggles to complete a full sentence. Mortimer, 68, was diagnosed with the brain disease at the age of 60 having taken countless knocks during his illustrious playing career. He now lives in a nursing home to receive the full-time care he needs. Affectionately nicknamed 'Turvey, Mortimer's condition has progressively impacted his memory and everyday life to the point where he struggles to remember his brilliant football career. His family visit him several times a week, with the beloved husband, father and grandfather now living in a childlike state. 'It's hard to know exactly what dad is thinking,' son Andrew told News Corp while on an outing with his dad. 'But we go through it, don't we, dad? I don't know whether dad is thinking of something but can't articulate it or he's not thinking it but there's not much verbally, unfortunately. 'I would say he's on a slow decline. I'm sure people who see him a few months apart, or a year, would see significant change. He is seemingly calm, somewhat at peace with the situation and probably somewhat oblivious. 'My reading of (dad's cognitive condition) is that he's taking in part in what's happening around him but processing that, and then articulating or engaging in a conversation, is close to impossible. 'I would suggest that he's probably at the stage where he's observing life around him, rather than fully participating. We know that you don't get cured from dementia. You don't improve so, for us, it's quality of life. We try to take the approach: 'what he can do', not 'what he can't do'. 'His body language is more or less the same as at any point in his life, as in the warm approach dad always had with everyone. He has never been a man of status. He has always been reasonable, fair and available to anyone and everyone.' When asked if Steve can complete a full sentence, Andrew replied: 'Unlikely'. Mortimer, who won three premierships with the Bulldogs in the 1980s and led the NSW Blues to their first ever State of Origin series win against Queensland in 1985, is sadly probably not aware of the success Canterbury are having this year. 'I don't think so,' Andrew revealed. 'Which is a shame because they are absolutely killing it. 'But we watch the games, either at his home or if we're out-and-about, we will grab a beer or coffee and watch the game, usually at one of the local bowling clubs in and around Revesby, or a cafe. But, as time goes on, not so much. It is what it is.' In 2023, Mortimer's wife, Karen, and their kids Andrew, Matt and Erin, shared when they begun to question whether something was wrong with him. 'He was often misplacing things like his keys, wallet, and phone,' Erin said. 'It was his struggle to find easy words like car, remote, and TV. He'd often get frustrated when he couldn't find the word, and be hard on himself. 'His paranoia and constant asking where mum was and then forgetting only a short while later to then ask again, was telling.' Andrew was running a small business with his father, but noticed he was writing longwinded emails and the incoherence of those messages raised alarm bells. Matt noticed changes in his dad that seemed uncharacteristic for him. 'I'm like: you're ageing really quickly, something's off,' he said. For Karen, a trip to London in 2019 was when she noticed her husband was in trouble. The couple had visited the city many times before but when going to fetch a coffee, he took an hour and a half to return. Mortimer told his wife: 'I got lost'. During Covid lockdown, Erin said: 'It was a horrible time for everyone but around this time we watched him spiral even more. 'They were complete mood swings which would come out of nowhere, and his attitude towards mum, and Andrew would worsen. 'It was very hard to watch on occasions. We learnt how to work with them, and not against them, sometimes with the assistance of dad being given medication.'
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Somerset care home residents visit air museum ahead of VE Day
Somerset care home residents have visited an air museum in the county in the lead-up to VE Day. Residents from Frome Nursing Home and Catherine House Care Home travelled by minibus to the Fleet Air Arm Museum in Yeovilton. The visit was filled with history and reflection as they explored the museum's exhibitions and enjoyed coffee and snacks. They saw the helicopters outside and experienced a simulator's vibrations. The visit sparked many memories for the residents. Peter, who served during the Falklands conflict, engaged in thoughtful conversations with a guide, reflecting on how much had changed since his service. Pat, a former pilot, found the visit particularly emotional. The sight of the aircraft stirred strong feelings and brought back memories of her solo flying days. She shed a few happy tears as she spoke about her experiences. Janet reminisced about living through the London Blitz as a young girl. Another resident, also named Janet, smiled as she spoke about her brother's work on the Concorde engines at Filton. After a picnic lunch, the conversation continued on the journey home - with Peter already keen to plan their next outing. To ensure more future visits, team member Sharon has secured a year-long pass for the residents to return freely throughout the year. The homes are keen to provide their residents with similar experiences that evoke cherished memories and create new ones.
Sky News
13-02-2025
- Sky News
104 year-old woman granted birthday wish and taken to New York prison
A care home resident has been taken to the local prison in the state of New York, as part of her 104th birthday wish. Livingston County Sheriff's Office in Geneseo, about 29 miles (46km) south of Rochester, posted pictures showing Loretta visiting their facility. "Loretta, who is a resident at the Avon Nursing Home, was asked what she wanted for her birthday and her response was that she wanted to see the inside of our jail because she has never been to jail before," the police department wrote in a post on Facebook. "Loretta had a great time touring our jail facility and we are so glad that we were able to make her birthday wishes come true!" it added. Hurlbut Care Communities which operates her care home described some of the activities she enjoyed while in prison on 10 February. "Loretta enjoyed cake, getting fingerprinted, her mug shot taken, tour of the jail, getting locked in a cell, and got to meet many deputies, including one of their new K-9s! The tour came two days after her 104th birthday last week where she celebrated with a party at Avon Nursing Home in the nearby town of Avon. Photos of her big day were posted on Facebook by her care home, showing her with a big pink birthday cake. "What a fabulous celebration for Loretta at Avon!" the care home wrote.
