Compare dementia to the Duck analogy of paddling frantically below the water

Hello this is Julie from YODA. Often people look from the outside and wonder how we who are in the early to mid stages could possibly have dementia yet appear to be functioning well. The answer? The duck analogy and peer support. The duck analogy refers to the fact that while we appear to be doing well, like a duck gliding across a pond, in reality the air of normality usually masks a hell of a lot of hard work behind the scenes or like the duck, paddling like fury to stay afloat. For our vital peer support we turn to each other to assist and compensate between ourselves when we struggle. When I was in paid work I managed complex cases as a Social Worker in a paperless office, so I needed proficiency in computers. Last week I was putting the finishing touches to the YODA newsletter, saving the document on my laptop. When i tried to publish this on the Facebook page and beyond I couldn’t work out how to transfer the file. At last I turned to my friend and fellow diarist, Howard Gordon who attached it to his blog and shared it for me. The beauty of teamwork!