• I MADE the difficult choice of giving up home life with my husband, Andrew, whose condition triggered so many daily crises; it turned out to be a brilliant decision.

Despite the current pandemic, even because of it, I would urge those in a similar position now not to hesitate in making the big step forward and seek help, if only in order to regain a sense of control.

Before the pandemic we could share daily life with residents within Rathmore House in Eton Avenue, NW3, the exemplary care home where Andrew lives.

He has lost the power of communication because of dementia.

If only he could talk I feel sure that Andrew would thank me for providing him with a supportive and loving environment in which dementia is understood, managed, and even welcomed.

Understandably there are now tightly enforced visiting hours in the home’s lovely garden. Those rules and regulations, so different from the usual family atmosphere in Rathmore, are paramount for health and safety.

Enforced distancing may appear extreme when we have to leave our loved ones behind the door of a care home.

But Rathmore, and other homes within the Central & Cecil (C&C) group have pushed hard, despite the challenges, to enforce strict measures and regularly test staff and residents for coronavirus.

In the last few months they’ve have been able to take some satisfaction from having those tests come back negative time and again.

I write this to encourage those who are facing the need for increased care for a relative or loved one to seek help despite the alarming headlines. I can only speak from my experience of C&C who specialise in dementia care and do so wholeheartedly.

I am reconciled to the sacrifice of not seeing my husband as often as I would like, and trusting more of his daily care to the excellent staff at Rathmore, because in doing so I contribute to the safety of them all.

I highly recommend other people in the same position to contemplate this step too.

FRANCOISE URQUHART
Address supplied