STAFF at Cardiff and Vale University Health Board have welcomed a “groundbreaking” television programme which teaches children about dementia.

Mr Alzheimer’s and Me, which is part of the Bafta award-winning documentary series My Life on CBBC, follows three young people who tell their personal stories of living with grandparents who have dementia.

Part of the programme focuses on the story of nine-year-old Hope from Cardiff. Hope has lived with her grandmother Mary, who has Alzheimer’s, since her mum died two years ago. Hope helps Mary with chores around the home and makes sure she takes her medication on time. The family is supported by the Younger Onset Dementia Service, based at University Hospital Llandough.

Mary knows her Alzheimer’s will only get worse, so during the programme, she takes Hope to her day care centre so her granddaughter can better understand the condition and Mary can help prepare her for the day she won’t be able to continue to look after her.

Simon O’Donovan, clinical director for mental health services for older people, said: “What I can say is what an important programme I think ‘Mr Alzheimer’s and Me’ is.

“In all my years working in the service and keeping abreast of the media coverage that has been given to highlighting the experiences of people living with dementia and their carers, this was the first programme I have seen which viewed the illness and impacts from the perspective of children.

“It was groundbreaking in this respect and gave such a personal insight into how much more we need to attend to the needs of the whole family. Within the service that I work, namely the Younger Onset Dementia Service, we more often have contact with pre-teenage children and developing resources for that group clearly needs to be prioritised.

“As for Mary and Hope, I can only say how moved I was by their story. I have met Mary frequently in clinic and through her work to support the launch of the Cardiff and Vale Dementia Three Year Plan and I have come to understand a great deal about how her illness effects her personally as well as her husband.

“It was a real privilege to gain an insight into how her illness affects Hope and her wider family and to better understand how together they are learning to cope with the problems it causes and are coming to terms with what the future holds for them.”

A clip of the programme, which was broadcast on CBBC in February is available here.