190: The 'D' Word with Pete Hill - Episode 190190: The 'D' Word with Pete Hill - Episode 190
UK Health Radio Podcast
Pete Hill talks with Caroline Ignatius about how her family’s experience of Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia led to community day services focused on fun, dignity and purpose. The conversation touches on fragmented support, person-centred care and why laughter and inclusion matter so much in dementia care.
33:36•13 Nov 2026
Laughter, Purpose and Dementia Care with Caroline Ignatius
Episode Overview
- Dementia affects each person differently, so care needs to focus on the individual rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.
- Social connection, purpose and a sense of community can be as vital as medical treatment for people living with dementia.
- Activity-based day services can boost confidence through simple, enjoyable games and opportunities to contribute.
- Families often struggle to find reliable, joined-up dementia support, highlighting the need for better signposting and coordination.
- Partnerships with care homes can create warm, familiar environments that ease transitions into respite or permanent care.
“"We create a space where we are in their world. There is no wrong in this situation."”
What are the common struggles and victories in addiction recovery? Here, dementia care takes centre stage alongside the emotional load that long-term illness can place on families, especially those already juggling sobriety or mental health. The D Word with Pete Hill zooms in on dementia as a lived, family experience rather than just a medical label.
Pete talks with Caroline Ignatius, founder of Devika Dementia, a non-profit inspired by her mum’s early-onset Alzheimer’s and shaped further by her dad’s vascular dementia. Caroline explains how her mum’s diagnosis at 65 sparked a determination to "use what we've been through to help other people," leading to 11 dementia day services across the east of England. You’ll hear how these day groups focus on purpose, community and fun as much as on care.
There’s animal bingo instead of numbers, Beatles bingo, indoor carpet bowls and simple chances to help with tasks like laying out plates. Caroline describes their spaces as somewhere "we are in their world" where there’s no correcting, only listening, encouragement and plenty of laughter. The conversation keeps coming back to the power of social contact and the frustration that dementia support is so fragmented.
Caroline talks about how hard it is for families to find reliable information and services, even for someone working in the sector. She dreams of a system where each person with dementia has a dedicated contact who can signpost them all the way through the journey. If you’re caring for someone with dementia, living with it yourself, or facing alcohol recovery while dealing with ageing parents, this honest chat offers practical ideas and emotional validation in equal measure.
It’s a reminder that people with dementia still have stories, humour and skills to share—so how might a bit more community and creativity change the way you support them?
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