Joan
Joan is experiencing some memory problems but she does not feel it is much of a problem. Joan’s husband helps her by keeping a note of appointments. Their daughter, who is a doctor, recommended Joan goes to a social group for people with memory problems.
Joan, aged 72, is a retired nurse who has five grown up children. She lives with her husband, Carl. Joan moved to Britain from Jamaica when she was a teenager. She regularly attends her local church where she enjoys singing in the choir.
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Joan enjoys cooking and baking. But she says she does not do as much as when the children were little. She is well-organised and always makes a detailed shopping list before she goes out.
Joan says that going to the social group is good because it gets you out and about and talking to people. But she is happy at home doing her housework or watching the television.
Joan has always cooked for her busy family.
Joan has always cooked for her busy family.
Carl: You like to cook, don’t you?
Joan: That’s because you’re always hungry, you see [laughter]. Oh dear [laughs]. Yeah.
Carl: Sorry [laughs].
No, no, it’s all right. So, so I bet you are a good cook then?
Joan: I can do a bit [laughs].
What sort of, what do you like to cook?
Joan: Oh, anything that’s out there I can, I don’t mind, but I cook [laughs].
Do you bake as well or?
Joan: I do bake, yes, I do.
Carl: But not as much as one time.
Joan: I used to, yes, I used to bake a lot more. But I haven’t got any kids now, the little ones, they’ve all gone and with their parents that; so, I don’t need to do a much, much baking now. And, and if I cook, I might cook extra so I don’t have to cook again tomorrow [laughs].
Joan likes being at home and helping with the grandchildren.
Joan likes being at home and helping with the grandchildren.
So, what do you like doing most days?
Oh, whatever there is to do around the house. I don’t really have anything specific that I think oh I have to do this and I have to do; it’s just really everything every day, whatever. If I feel like sitting and not doing much, I don’t, if I watch the television.
Babysitting [laughs] looking after the little ones really; that’s more or less, isn’t it? It’s, there’s, I can’t think, there’s nothing that I can say, well I do this every week or; it’s, it’s just everyday work, housewife, cleaning, washing and whatever else, television, if the; yeah, that’s all it, that’s it.
Joan’s daughter suggested she went along to the memory hub.
Joan’s daughter suggested she went along to the memory hub.
And are there people, how did you find out about it? Are there people you know?
Joan: Yeah, yeah, know, yeah, yeah. Was it [daughter] that came to our house and mentioned going there?
Carl: Yeah.
Joan: Yeah, yeah, which is my daughter.
So; ah OK.
Joan: Yeah, mm hmm.
What does she do?
Joan: She’s a doctor.
Ah right, OK.
Joan: Mm hmm, yeah.
So did she sort of say “That would be a good thing for you to.
Joan: Well, she did, yes, more or less, yeah.
To go along to”?
Joan: Yeah, mm hmm, mm hmm.
So, if your daughter’s mentioned, she’s sort of advised that that might be a good place for you to go, a nice place to go.
Joan: Yeah.
What, have you been back since? I think it’s two or three weeks since I went.
Joan: Oh yes, I’ve been, I’ve been, yeah, yeah, I’ve been, yeah, mm.
And so, is it something you feel you would go to regularly?
Joan: Yeah, yeah, I can, yeah, some, yeah.
And did you?
Joan: At least there’s somebody else you can sit and talk to and things like that there; so, it’s, yeah. Mm, I don’t sit at home on my own [laughs].
Singing in the church choir is uplifting for Joan.
Singing in the church choir is uplifting for Joan.
Joan: Oh yeah, I sing in a choir.
Sister: You sing in a choir.
Do you go to the choir?
Joan: Yeah.
Where’s that?
Joan: Because I go to church.
The church choir?
Joan: The church choir, yeah, mm hmm, every week.
And how long have you been doing that?
Joan: Oh, I’ve always gone down there, all the way, all the way [laughs].
Carl: 70, 70-odd years.
Joan: I’ve always gone to church, yeah, I’ve, I’ve always gone to church. From Cradle Roll; that’s my first church, Cradle Roll, up till now. I go to church every week.