A web search will yield plenty of factual information about dementia’s stages, symptoms, and causes, but what does dementia look like for the person experiencing it? Living With Dementia: The Collected Columns of Darce Fardy provides a candid and moving account of how one’s life changes after a dementia diagnosis.
Fardy worked as a journalist for the CBC for 40 years and later served as Nova Scotia’s first freedom of information review officer. He was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2013 at the age of 81 and decided to write a periodic column for the Halifax Chronicle Herald recounting his experiences with dementia. Fardy wrote almost 70 columns between 2014 and 2020. He passed away in 2022.
Living With Dementia captures all of Fardy’s Halifax Chronicle Herald columns in one place. In addition, the book includes four columns, a Foreword, and an Afterword written by Kenneth Rockwood, M.D., a Professor of Geriatric Medicine and Neurology at Dalhousie University. The book’s Introduction and Epilogue were penned by Darce’s son Peter Fardy. Living with Dementia includes several photos of Darce Fardy at various points in his life.
Near the end of the book, a section titled “Further Information from the Alzheimer Society of Nova Scotia” discusses how Darce’s columns changed the conversation around dementia. This chapter also offers information about ways of reducing the risk of dementia and outlines a Charter of Rights for people with dementia.
“Fardy’s accounts are forthright and candid, but not maudlin.”
Darce Fardy’s columns provide an account of what his life is like, what he’s been doing, and the ups and downs he experiences. Some of the columns relate to adjusting to, and trying to slow the progress of, dementia. Staying active is an important initiative, and several columns discuss Fardy’s experiences at the gym. Other topics are more sensitive, like giving up driving (something Fardy voluntarily did upon being diagnosed), writing up financial directives, and the discussion of whether it’s better to move to a new home or adjust one’s current home to accommodate changing needs, such as declining mobility.
Fardy’s accounts are forthright and candid, but not maudlin. In several places, he declares his intention to remain upbeat. His wry sense of humour and willingness to poke fun at himself surface often, both in the content of the pieces and in the titles of the columns, such as “I Remember Dief the Chief, but Not the Local Eatery.”
Fardy’s writing serves to humanize the experiences of those with dementia. As Dr. Rockwood notes in the book’s Foreword, “We must aim to see the person, not just the dementia.” Fardy’s columns help the reader do just that.
In his columns, Fardy talks about the importance of family support. As indicated by the events he describes, he had a lot of it—family members checking in, showing up for milestone occasions, and enjoying time spent together. At the same time, Fardy is honest about setbacks like falls, and how they affect his quality of life. He worries about the way the decline in his abilities places additional demands on his primary caregiver—in this case, his wife Dorothea. Fardy openly discusses how it feels to see one’s freedoms gradually diminishing—for example, going from being able to walk on his own around the neighbourhood, to needing a cane, to requiring a walker, and so on. While reading Living with Dementia, I admired Fardy’s courage in sharing his story so openly.
In his columns, Fardy often talks about being approached by strangers who told him how much it meant to read about his experiences. As Peter Fardy wrote in the Introduction, “The positive, yet unplanned, benefit of the columns was that they helped destigmatize the disease and bring discussion of it out in the open.” Gathering the columns in book form preserves Darce Fardy’s legacy, and ensures his experiences are available to a wider audience—a worthy undertaking.
About the Author
Darce Fardy (1932-2022) was a long-time reporter, producer, and head of current affairs with CBC Television. His "retirement" after almost forty years with the CBC did not last long. Over the next thirty years, he dedicated himself to two important causes near and dear to his heart: first, the right to access information held by publicly accountable bodies, serving as the first review officer overseeing the Nova Scotia Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. The second, after being diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2013, was helping others come to terms with the daily challenges of living with dementia.
About the Reviewer
Lisa Timpf is a retired HR and communications professional who lives in Simcoe, Ontario. Her poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and book reviews have appeared in New Myths, Star*Line, The Future Fire, and other venues. Lisa’s speculative haibun collection, In Days to Come, is available from Hiraeth Publishing. You can find out more about Lisa’s writing and artwork at http://lisatimpf.blogspot.com/
Book Details
Publisher : Nimbus Publishing Limited (Sept. 10 2024)
Language : English
Paperback : 200 pages
ISBN-10 : 1774713365
ISBN-13 : 978-1774713365
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