Community Support: Building Powerful Social Connections

If you’re on North Wollongong Beach in New South Wales around sunrise, you’ll probably see David with his camera. After his daily morning swim, he likes to take photos of the sunrise – whenever he meets someone with young children, he offers to send them photos. “This is the sunrise on the first day of your life,” he tells them to write under the pictures. David was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2023 and instead of withdrawing, he asked himself: How can this become a new way to help people connect? Amanda knows about isolation too. She’s been caring for her mum, who lives with Lewy body dementia, since she was just 17. For years, she hid it; embarrassed, exhausted, carrying the weight alone.   But eventually, she reached out for help. David and Amanda share how they’ve built and maintained connections after a diagnosis for their own sakes, but also so they can share what they’ve learned about dementia with their communities.      +++     Hold the Moment is a podcast from Dementia Australia, produced by Deadset Studios and hosted by Jim Rogers and Hamish Macdonald.     ABOUT THE GUESTS  Dr David Williams AM, lives in Wollongong and was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2023 after a varied career spanning industrial chemistry, recruitment and consulting, alongside decades of community leadership. He continues to foster connection through daily swims, sunrise photography and his long-standing men’s group, believing openness about diagnosis is how you make a difference. Amanda is a digital and ICT leader who works across complex industries, alongside caring for her mother Petronella, who lives with Lewy body dementia. Through Dementia Australia, she found community, became an advocate, and now speaks openly about asking for help as an act of love, for others and yourself.     NEED SUPPORT?   Contact the National Dementia Helpline: 1800 100 500. Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week - funded by the Australian Government.     SERVICES & RESOURCES   Find links, services and information from this episode → https://www.dementia.org.au/episode-community-support    EPISODE CREDITS  Produced by Liam Riordan | Sound design by Slade Gibson | Executive producers: Sarah Dabro and Kellie Riordan | Production manager: Ann Chesterman     FOLLOW DEMENTIA AUSTRALIA   Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn     Dementia Australia and Deadset Studios acknowledge the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.   Dementia Australia acknowledges and appreciates the support of the Australian Government for this initiative.