"Providing support and a friendly helping hand"

I have previously put up one story and wanted to write another. Last year my partner at the age of 55 was diagnosed with Alzheimer and our whole life was rocked and changed. Although we live in North Ayrshire we dropped into the Alzheimer Scotland centre in Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire and it changed our lives. 

Here we met a wonderful woman called Sheena who welcomed us by saying she didn't look at postcodes. We instantly felt welcome. Her cheery disposition and positive attitude that nothing was a problem for her and an incredible supporting  team made us feel we could cope with the challenges ahead.

Almost a year down the road and this haven has become our go-to place where a tea and a blether has become so important as a coping mechanism. This centre is a lot more than that. Everyone is welcome and nobody judges. It has taken this diagnosis for us to find real humanity and thanks goes to Sheena, her side kick Shanley and John who always welcomes and says goodbye to my partner with a hug.

From Sound Bowls, to Coffee catch up with Charlie a musician and singer who connects with everyone and you see makes a difference, to Supper Club to meeting the rangers at Dean Park to Carers Cafe and Movie Mornings, there are so many cool activities that bring light to an otherwise dark time.

It is centres like this that are critical to providing help, support and a friendly helping hand to a ravishing disease known as 'the long goodbye'. For us, thanks to Alzheimer Scotland and Sheena we see this as 'the long hello'. We need more centres like this and certainly North Ayrshire deserves one.

Without doubt it is the small differences like a place to go and just be that makes the big difference in our life. How important is Alzheimer Scotland and Sheena and her wonderful team to us? It's right up there with oxygen!