When a group of carers and people living with dementia came together at a Treehouse4Two retreat earlier this year, none of them could have imagined the lasting friendships they would form.
Treehouse4Two is a three-day retreat designed for both people living with dementia and their carers. The retreats provide respite and connection for carers, as well as information sessions to help them prepare for the challenges of supporting someone with dementia at home.
For participants living with dementia, the retreats offer a chance to meet others in the same situation, enjoy some time away from home, and feel understood.
This particular retreat brought together five couples, each made up of one carer and one person living with dementia. What began as conversations around the fire soon turned into a close-knit circle of support and lifelong friendships.
“I was scared. I didn’t know what was going to happen,” one carer recalled. “But I had another carer in the same position sitting next to me, which made it so much easier. I felt very relaxed to be able to say, my husband has dementia, and I don’t know what I’m going to do.”
For some participants, simply naming dementia out loud was a turning point. “It took a long time to even say the word. Now, if I haven’t seen someone for a while, I can say, ‘Look, I’ve got dementia.’ Prior to that, I just couldn’t get it out,” one man shared.
The honesty, laughter and mutual understanding built over the three days didn’t stop when the retreat ended. The group of five couples has continued to meet up, staying in touch through visits and a WhatsApp chat. “Us women have got a WhatsApp group. If I’m having a really hard time, I can just say to the group, ‘Hey, what do I do? I need help,’” one carer explained.
These connections have given participants practical advice, comfort in difficult moments, and above all, the knowledge that they are not alone. It is a message that resonates strongly with the theme of this year’s Dementia Action Week in Australia: Nobody can do it alone.
The group encourages others in similar situations to reach out, share their experiences, and build networks of support that make daily life easier and less isolating. Their message is simple: conversation makes a difference. By connecting with others, carers and people living with dementia can replace fear with understanding, and isolation with belonging.
To find out more about our services, please click here: www.chrh.org.au/services/dementia
