Mum ‘thought life was over’ after Alzheimer’s diagnosis in 40s

Shelley Sheppard was told she had early onset Alzheimer's disease which leads to dementia.

A mum has described how she thought her ‘life was over’ after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in her 40s.

In November 2017, aged 43, Shelley Sheppard was told she had early onset Alzheimer’s disease which leads to dementia.

‘It was the most shocking and devastating news I had ever received. I did not expect it and it has never ran in my family historically. I thought my life was over,’ she said.

The New Ollerton mum and grandma, now 45, struggles with her speech, memory loss, concentration, understanding and is ‘quite clumsy’, often tripping over or forgetting where she is or where she was going.

‘I didn’t feel like I could be a role model for my kids anymore. I was the head of the family, the mum of five girls and also have grandchildren,’ she added.

Mum 'thought life was over' after Alzheimer's diagnosis in 40s

Coming to terms with her diagnosis at such a young age was the hardest thing to deal with for Mrs Sheppard.

But, once she had, she refused to let the condition hold her back in life.

The stay-at-home-mum is helped by Nottinghamshire Healthcare’s Working Age Dementia Service, which supports people under 65 who have a suspected or confirmed diagnosis of dementia.

She said: ‘Soon after diagnosis I was invited to attend a memory strategy group that would run for seven weeks. As a group we shared a lot of laughter and tears.

‘We all had a mutual understanding of each other and how we were learning how to live our new lives.

‘When the group came to an end, I’d got a new life to live, thanks to the strategies and most importantly new friends and a better understanding of my dementia.

‘With the continued support of the team and regular visits, just having the reassurance that they were there for anything, I started to notice a change in me.

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‘My moods were getting brighter and I no longer felt so detached from life – I had hope.

‘At the first home visit everything was explained to me and my family and what the Working Age Dementia Service would be able to do for us.

‘Straight away there was a friendly face giving us words of advice, encouragement and most of all reassurance.

‘A care plan was made whilst practical support was offered. Having someone there so soon after diagnosis was so invaluable. I knew we were no longer alone.

‘My family are my biggest support. If my husband Paul forgets something we laugh and say that’s not his job, that’s mine. We laugh through the problems.’