Today is World Alzheimer’s Day, and also my dad’s 81st birthday. Unfortunately, these two events are linked by more than just sharing a date, as my dad has been living with Alzheimer’s for several years.

I’ll be visiting him tomorrow to share some birthday cake, and we’ve also organized a singer to entertain the care home residents.

My dad was previously a very talented amateur songwriter and singer himself, but sadly doesn’t seem to get the same enjoyment from music as he used to.

In the early stages of his diagnosis, he was prescribed Galantamine – one of the few approved treatments for the symptoms of Alzheimer’s. And I don’t know whether it had much effect or not. But if it enabled us to spend even just a few short months with dad more like he had been than he is now, it underlines the value of the industry I’m proud to work in.