Daughter details the cruel impact dementia had on mum during her final years

30.08.2022 - 00:45 / dailyrecord.co.uk

A woman has spoken about the devastating impact dementia had on her mother during her final years.

Erika Allen is hoping to raise awareness by telling her mum's story, after 93 year-old Mia died with dementia in April this year.

Prior to her death, Mia had suffered from vascular dementia for seven years, but the signs progressed slowly over time, until the disease finally took its toll and her condition worsened. Erika and her family tried to bring in home carers to look after Mia, but their efforts were unsuccessful.

Eventually, it was decided that it would be best to put her in a nursing home. To pay for Mia's care, Erika and her siblings had to sell their mother's home in Leicester.

Erika is taking part in a charity fund-raising event next month for the Alzheimer's Society. She hopes that by raising money for research, future families won't have to be forced to make such difficult choices for their loved ones, reports Leicestershire Live.

“At first the progression was slow, with her repeating things. But after a couple of falls and failed attempts to have carers at home, it was decided she’d move to a care home,” she said.

“For one reason or another including lockdown, over the years we had to move mum several times to different care homes. We had some awful experiences with care and incidents happening and it completely took away mum’s dignity towards the end of her life.”

Latest figures from dementia charity, the Alzheimer’s Society, show that around 900,000 people in the UK have a form of dementia. It is thought that one million will be living with the condition by 2025.

Deaths relating to the disease are rising every year according to the Alzheimer's Society, with the charity warning of the high numbers at risk of