Through the Looking Glass

In Saturday's Guardian Weekend magazine (on 11th December) was a piece called 'Through the looking glass' by photographer Maja Daniels and writer Andrea Gillies. It explored the issue of what life is like on a dementia ward, and the difficulties family members face grappling with the decision to place loved ones in them.




I think the photojournalism is hauntingly beautiful, and the subject matter was one which struck a chord, having seen my own grandmother's final few months in a dementia ward. The people pictured above are all waiting at the entrance to the ward for people they believe are going to collect them. My Gran did this too, she thought she was a little girl about to go on a trip to the sea side.

The piece concludes focussing upon the need for positive change but the difficulty of finding funding for this in the current economic landscape. But as Gillies puts it, what is the price we pay for not spending? At least 750,000 people in Britain have some form of dementia, and how do you know that you're not going to be affected by it at some stage?

To read the whole article click here.