0:00:02 > 0:00:03You ready?
0:00:18 > 0:00:21Right, young Joshua, Operation Greenhouse.
0:00:22 > 0:00:24This is my grandad, Derek.
0:00:24 > 0:00:26He's a big part of my life.
0:00:28 > 0:00:31It's like a jungle in here.
0:00:31 > 0:00:34It is, yes. In fact, your mother refuses to come in here.
0:00:34 > 0:00:37JOSHUA CHUCKLES
0:00:37 > 0:00:38We have a really close bond.
0:00:40 > 0:00:41Pull.
0:00:41 > 0:00:44'He enjoys talking to me.'
0:00:44 > 0:00:46He's always happy when I'm there.
0:00:51 > 0:00:53She's got eight.
0:00:53 > 0:00:54One more go, Nan.
0:00:54 > 0:00:57- No.- Two more goes, Nan.
0:00:57 > 0:01:00My nan is my bestest friend ever and I love her.
0:01:05 > 0:01:07- It's you, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:01:09 > 0:01:10My grandad's name
0:01:10 > 0:01:13is Charlie,
0:01:13 > 0:01:16but everyone calls him Dez.
0:01:16 > 0:01:18What did you do to your head?
0:01:19 > 0:01:21What did you do?
0:01:23 > 0:01:25What did you do to your head?
0:01:25 > 0:01:27HE MUMBLES
0:01:27 > 0:01:28Did you fall?
0:01:41 > 0:01:44My grandad's got vascular dementia.
0:01:48 > 0:01:50Dementia is a disease which affects the brain.
0:01:54 > 0:01:58So this means the part of the brain that makes and stores memory
0:01:58 > 0:02:00doesn't work as well
0:02:00 > 0:02:02and you get confused really easily.
0:02:07 > 0:02:10- That's definitely a Spitfire.- Yeah.
0:02:10 > 0:02:12- That's a Hurricane.- Yeah.
0:02:12 > 0:02:14And that's a...
0:02:14 > 0:02:21'Cos dementia makes my grandad forget stuff, sometimes I feel like'
0:02:21 > 0:02:24one day I'll walk in and he'll look with a worried face
0:02:24 > 0:02:26and ask who I am.
0:02:29 > 0:02:32My grandad left his house in the middle of the night
0:02:32 > 0:02:34and started walking.
0:02:38 > 0:02:42And then he was found by the police collapsed in a ditch.
0:02:48 > 0:02:50He can't really get his words out.
0:02:51 > 0:02:54He doesn't know what's going on really.
0:03:01 > 0:03:03'Nanny has Alzheimer's.'
0:03:03 > 0:03:05Nan, you forgot your glasses, take them off.
0:03:07 > 0:03:09If it wasn't for you, I'd forget my head.
0:03:09 > 0:03:12Alzheimer's is a type of dementia.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16Night-night, Hope. Love you.
0:03:16 > 0:03:18- Night, Nanny.- Night-night.
0:03:18 > 0:03:20'She needs lots of help from me and Grandad.'
0:03:26 > 0:03:30It is hard sometimes,
0:03:30 > 0:03:34cos I don't want anyone else going through what my grandad has.
0:03:43 > 0:03:47Nanny has to take special pills to make Alzheimer's go away.
0:03:48 > 0:03:50Have you taken your tablets?
0:03:50 > 0:03:52Yes, sweetheart, I have.
0:03:52 > 0:03:54Good.
0:03:54 > 0:03:56Me and Nanny do the washing and cleaning together
0:03:56 > 0:03:59and I make sure she doesn't forget anything.
0:03:59 > 0:04:02Hope, do you want to help Nana look for these biscuits?
0:04:02 > 0:04:05Erm, erm... the toothpaste.
0:04:05 > 0:04:06I've checked everywhere.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09So you've checked in the fridge?
0:04:09 > 0:04:11In the fridge? It's not in the fridge.
0:04:14 > 0:04:16Toothpaste.
0:04:17 > 0:04:19Aren't I stupid?
0:04:19 > 0:04:21HOPE GIGGLES
0:04:21 > 0:04:25I hope that these tablets are going to make Mr Alzheimer's
0:04:25 > 0:04:27go away forever.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36- That looks like an elephant to me.- Where?
0:04:36 > 0:04:38Oh, yeah!
0:04:39 > 0:04:41- I can see a dragon.- Where?
0:04:41 > 0:04:43Oh, yeah, there, there!
0:04:45 > 0:04:47So how is your nanny doing?
0:04:50 > 0:04:55Do you find it a bit scary sometimes with your nan?
0:04:55 > 0:04:56Yeah.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05Mr Alzheimer's is like an angry cloud.
0:05:08 > 0:05:12It feels like he clouds Nanny's brain
0:05:12 > 0:05:14and stops it working.
0:05:17 > 0:05:19We'll just add it to it.
0:05:20 > 0:05:24Now, now, squeeze again with your one hand and roll.
0:05:25 > 0:05:29OK? You know what's wrong with Nanny, don't you?
0:05:29 > 0:05:32Mr Alzheimer's has come out, hasn't he?
0:05:32 > 0:05:35He's come out a bit worse, hasn't he?
0:05:38 > 0:05:43This is why Nanny is teaching you these things. All right?
0:05:43 > 0:05:45For your future.
0:05:47 > 0:05:49It's not as hard as it looks, is it?
0:05:49 > 0:05:51- It is as hard as it looks.- No.
0:05:51 > 0:05:53On the grill, oh, that's your favourite.
0:06:09 > 0:06:11When I was seven...
0:06:14 > 0:06:17..my mum passed away.
0:06:22 > 0:06:25This box helped me with all my sad times.
0:06:27 > 0:06:31This is...
0:06:31 > 0:06:34when Mummy and Daddy got married.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41That's one of Mummy's hair bobbles.
0:06:49 > 0:06:52I was scared...
0:06:54 > 0:06:56..and it was frightening.
0:06:59 > 0:07:03The hardest thing was I wouldn't see my mummy again.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11Nan's forgotten that we've had an ice lolly.
0:07:11 > 0:07:16'Daddy wants me to stay with him but I've chosen to stay with Nanny.'
0:07:16 > 0:07:17Get away!
0:07:24 > 0:07:26Shall I do this bit?
0:07:31 > 0:07:33It's Grandad's birthday soon
0:07:33 > 0:07:37and I've got a special plan to help save his memory.
0:07:47 > 0:07:52This is, um... Well, it's a box, as you can clearly see,
0:07:52 > 0:07:55but it's a special kind of box.
0:07:55 > 0:07:57It's like a memory box.
0:07:59 > 0:08:02I'm going to get the most important memories from my grandad's life
0:08:02 > 0:08:05and put them in the box to keep them safe.
0:08:08 > 0:08:11I'm a bit scared that one day he won't remember me.
0:08:16 > 0:08:21You just... I'm, like, praying that it will just work.
0:08:32 > 0:08:34I'm going to visit Grandad today.
0:08:34 > 0:08:37It's his first Christmas being in a care home.
0:08:40 > 0:08:45It was getting too dangerous for him to be on his own in a flat.
0:08:46 > 0:08:48- Aren't you lovely.- You all right?
0:08:53 > 0:08:57THEY MURMUR
0:08:57 > 0:09:00'It is hard sometimes.'
0:09:01 > 0:09:03'I worry about what he's thinking.'
0:09:06 > 0:09:11'If he's happy or if he's upset, cos he's in his own world.'
0:09:12 > 0:09:16'I wish I could have a normal chat with him, but I know that I can't.'
0:09:20 > 0:09:24'You can't just make the illness go, because it won't.'
0:09:28 > 0:09:31'But you can try and put money towards medicines
0:09:31 > 0:09:33'and the care homes.'
0:09:37 > 0:09:40I have decided to do a sponsored walk.
0:09:46 > 0:09:48Talk right into it.
0:09:50 > 0:09:52This morning we are joined by a very special guest.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55- Ella. Good morning, Ella.- Morning! - Whereabouts are you from?
0:09:55 > 0:09:57- Kidderminster.- Old Kiddy!
0:09:57 > 0:09:59Tell us about your grandad to start.
0:09:59 > 0:10:03Well, he's got dementia. He's had it for a few years now.
0:10:03 > 0:10:07He used to take me to the park and play with me on the swings,
0:10:07 > 0:10:09but he wouldn't be able to do that now.
0:10:09 > 0:10:11So I'm doing a ten-mile walk
0:10:11 > 0:10:14and I'm collecting sponsors for it.
0:10:14 > 0:10:17All the money will go towards Dementia UK,
0:10:17 > 0:10:19who do a lot of research.
0:10:19 > 0:10:21All this money raised is going to go to a great cause.
0:10:21 > 0:10:24Thank you for coming in this morning. Ella, everybody.
0:10:24 > 0:10:26THEY CLAP
0:10:26 > 0:10:30I hate walking. I prefer to ride instead or round the track.
0:10:31 > 0:10:35- Go and take selfies!- Yeah. We'll sponsor you. I'll sponsor you.
0:10:35 > 0:10:37£20.
0:10:38 > 0:10:40What did you do on the weekend?
0:10:48 > 0:10:52Today is my last day at primary school.
0:10:52 > 0:10:54Basically, I'm a grown-up.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57Well, almost.
0:10:57 > 0:10:59ALL: Good morning, Mrs Hanson.
0:10:59 > 0:11:03My grandad's come to watch my leavers' assembly.
0:11:03 > 0:11:07And our sportsman-of-the-year is going to Josh.
0:11:07 > 0:11:09APPLAUSE
0:11:21 > 0:11:23CAMERA CLICKS
0:11:29 > 0:11:31We're proud of you, son.
0:11:32 > 0:11:34The boy done good.
0:11:37 > 0:11:39You've been to the bank and everything?
0:11:39 > 0:11:42'This is one of my favourite memories because my grandad
0:11:42 > 0:11:46'was so proud of me. I really don't want him to forget it.'
0:12:02 > 0:12:04How was your weekend with Daddy?
0:12:04 > 0:12:06It was amazing.
0:12:06 > 0:12:11Well, Mr Alzheimer's wasn't very nice on Saturday.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14So I'm glad you went away.
0:12:14 > 0:12:16SHE YAWNS
0:12:16 > 0:12:19Oh, that's a big yawn.
0:12:19 > 0:12:23HOPE SINGS
0:12:23 > 0:12:26NANNY LAUGHS
0:12:30 > 0:12:33Your hair won't go straight if you don't eat the crust.
0:12:33 > 0:12:35It's curly, that's fine.
0:12:35 > 0:12:38NANNY LAUGHS
0:12:38 > 0:12:41Oh, yes. I'm going to take my tablets.
0:12:48 > 0:12:49Hi.
0:12:49 > 0:12:51- OK, good girl.- Good girl.
0:12:53 > 0:12:55That's for blood pressure.
0:12:55 > 0:12:58What's that one for?
0:12:58 > 0:13:00To defeat Mr Alzheimer's.
0:13:00 > 0:13:04To defeat him? No, darling, I can't defeat him.
0:13:04 > 0:13:05No, no, no.
0:13:07 > 0:13:10That's one thing, I... Hope.
0:13:10 > 0:13:12Hope, look at Nana.
0:13:12 > 0:13:15Nanny wishes she could, but I can't.
0:13:15 > 0:13:19Mr Alzheimer's is a lot stronger than Nanny.
0:13:21 > 0:13:23All right?
0:13:23 > 0:13:24But those tablets there...
0:13:26 > 0:13:27..slows him down.
0:13:31 > 0:13:33He's not going to go away, sweetheart.
0:13:39 > 0:13:40Did you think that?
0:13:42 > 0:13:44No, darling.
0:13:44 > 0:13:46I didn't realise you thought that.
0:13:47 > 0:13:50Honestly, you've shocked me now today.
0:14:10 > 0:14:14Nanny wants me to understand more about Mr Alzheimer's,
0:14:14 > 0:14:16so we are going to a daycare centre.
0:14:19 > 0:14:22- Hello!- Hiya, Mary.
0:14:22 > 0:14:25- Nice to see you.- This is Hope.
0:14:25 > 0:14:27- ALL: Hello!- Hello!
0:14:31 > 0:14:33THEY CHATTER
0:14:35 > 0:14:39When Mr Alzheimer's comes out, what do you feel like when he comes out?
0:14:39 > 0:14:41It's hard to explain, really.
0:14:43 > 0:14:46Yeah, we get through it because we are all strong,
0:14:46 > 0:14:48- because we're all together.- Yes.
0:14:49 > 0:14:55- Now you understand why I come here and I come home happy?- Yeah.
0:14:55 > 0:14:59Because I'm with nice people and I have fun here, don't I?
0:15:01 > 0:15:07Even though the pills won't make Mr Alzheimer's go away forever,
0:15:07 > 0:15:09I still hope Nanny feels better.
0:15:10 > 0:15:13I make her happy by doing silly things
0:15:13 > 0:15:16and I tell her how much I love her.
0:15:17 > 0:15:20And we forget about Mr Alzheimer's.
0:15:21 > 0:15:24- Hello, Grandad. - Hello, son.- You all right?
0:15:24 > 0:15:27- What are you doing here? - Is dinner nearly ready?
0:15:27 > 0:15:29Oh, you'll have to ask the cook about that.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32Can you just come upstairs with me, please?
0:15:32 > 0:15:33What do you want me for?
0:15:33 > 0:15:36I've got my stick here so I'm all right.
0:15:36 > 0:15:38That's better. Off we go.
0:15:40 > 0:15:43I've put, like, Grandad's memories on it.
0:15:49 > 0:15:52So basically, Grandad, Nana.
0:15:52 > 0:15:55Don't know who that is. Don't know who that is.
0:15:57 > 0:16:01Love to Uncle from Bill, 1940.
0:16:03 > 0:16:06There, Grandad was eight years old.
0:16:10 > 0:16:14Grandad has so many memories I don't know about,
0:16:14 > 0:16:17and they're all disappearing because of his dementia.
0:16:20 > 0:16:22Oh, I think it is that. Can you see it?
0:16:22 > 0:16:25Ah, yes.
0:16:25 > 0:16:27You see him wearing it?
0:16:27 > 0:16:30Oh, yeah. Looks very smart.
0:16:34 > 0:16:38'Grandad, I've been on the radio.
0:16:38 > 0:16:40'Do you want to hear it?'
0:16:43 > 0:16:46'A round of applause for our special guest, Ella, everybody.
0:16:46 > 0:16:47'She's in this morning.
0:16:47 > 0:16:49- 'What does your grandad suffer from? - Dementia.
0:16:49 > 0:16:51'Right, and what exactly is that?
0:16:51 > 0:16:56'You start to forget things and you get your words mixed up.
0:16:56 > 0:16:59'Now, one of the challenges you have... Cos you've to try and raise
0:16:59 > 0:17:02'a lot of money, aren't you? What's the...'
0:17:02 > 0:17:08'The people who would say, "What's the point in going to see him
0:17:08 > 0:17:10'"if he can't understand anything?"'
0:17:11 > 0:17:15It's better to try than not try.
0:17:15 > 0:17:16It makes a difference.
0:17:16 > 0:17:19- HE MUMBLES - This body...
0:17:20 > 0:17:22And I breathe.
0:17:24 > 0:17:25You will do it.
0:17:29 > 0:17:31Yeah, come on, ride.
0:17:31 > 0:17:33You love your dad? Good girl.
0:17:33 > 0:17:35Come on, ride fast, then. There we go.
0:17:35 > 0:17:39'Nanny's still taking her medication,
0:17:39 > 0:17:42'but it's still getting a bit worse.'
0:17:45 > 0:17:49So I know you're helping Nanny, and that's what you like doing,
0:17:49 > 0:17:53don't you? But you know, if it gets too much living at Nanny's,
0:17:53 > 0:17:56you know you can just live with Daddy.
0:17:56 > 0:17:58I miss you all the time. You know that, don't you?
0:18:00 > 0:18:01Yeah?
0:18:09 > 0:18:13We're going to see the man...
0:18:13 > 0:18:16the special Alzheimer's doctor.
0:18:16 > 0:18:20The doctor now will tell me
0:18:20 > 0:18:23if it is progressing.
0:18:23 > 0:18:26- Do you know what progress means?- No.
0:18:26 > 0:18:30There you go. If Mr Alzheimer's is getting worse.
0:18:30 > 0:18:31Are you nervous?
0:18:34 > 0:18:35Yes, I am.
0:18:43 > 0:18:46- I'm going into my appointment. - OK.- Bye.
0:18:46 > 0:18:47- How are you today?- OK.
0:18:47 > 0:18:49- Are you coming, too?- Yeah.
0:19:24 > 0:19:27That was fun at the garden, wasn't it?
0:19:27 > 0:19:33Playing ball and bowling and things like that.
0:19:33 > 0:19:34That was fun.
0:19:35 > 0:19:39But unfortunately, we can't have that fun all the time
0:19:39 > 0:19:44because naughty Mr Alzheimer's is coming out a lot more lately.
0:19:50 > 0:19:52Are you angry at me?
0:19:52 > 0:19:55No, I'm not angry at you at all.
0:19:55 > 0:19:58It's not you. I'm not angry with you, Hope.
0:19:58 > 0:20:01I'm angry with Mr Alzheimer's.
0:20:13 > 0:20:16- OK?- Yeah.- You ready?
0:20:19 > 0:20:22Now, I don't want you to get upset.
0:20:25 > 0:20:27OK?
0:20:28 > 0:20:30Mr Alzheimer's is progressing now.
0:20:34 > 0:20:36But he told me straight now,
0:20:36 > 0:20:39Mr Alzheimer's is out there.
0:20:41 > 0:20:43And me and you have got to knock him back.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49Have you got any questions to ask Nan?
0:20:49 > 0:20:51How are you feeling?
0:20:51 > 0:20:52I'm sad.
0:21:01 > 0:21:03- But I've got you, haven't I?- Mm-hm.
0:21:03 > 0:21:05So I can't be sad, can I?
0:21:08 > 0:21:11I'm always there for you, always.
0:21:11 > 0:21:15So we've got to keep on laughing and keep on smiling.
0:21:36 > 0:21:38Beep-beep. Here we go.
0:21:41 > 0:21:44You're going to find it difficult, Josh.
0:21:44 > 0:21:47JOSH GRUNTS
0:21:47 > 0:21:49This is why I do athletics.
0:21:52 > 0:21:55'We've come to Brighton for Grandad's birthday.'
0:21:55 > 0:21:57I think Grandad's going to like this.
0:21:57 > 0:21:59I'm going to give him the memory box.
0:21:59 > 0:22:01Fingers crossed he likes it.
0:22:01 > 0:22:03He probably does not have a clue.
0:22:05 > 0:22:07Oh, here he comes. Quick, quick, quick.
0:22:09 > 0:22:11One, two, three, down. You landed.
0:22:13 > 0:22:15Happy birthday, Grandad.
0:22:15 > 0:22:16Thank you very much.
0:22:28 > 0:22:30I'm doing my sponsored walk today.
0:22:33 > 0:22:36SHE LAUGHS
0:22:48 > 0:22:50- A special one.- A special one?
0:22:50 > 0:22:56- "Dear Grandad, enjoy your lovely day and keep these..."- Memories.
0:22:56 > 0:22:58"..special memories.
0:22:58 > 0:22:59"Love, Joshua."
0:23:05 > 0:23:07Oh, I see.
0:23:10 > 0:23:13- Spitfire.- Yes.
0:23:13 > 0:23:16GRANDAD CHUCKLES This, believe it or not, is me.
0:23:21 > 0:23:24- My knot tie.- When did you wear that?
0:23:26 > 0:23:28At the wedding. At THE wedding!
0:23:29 > 0:23:33- Now that's us on our wedding day, isn't it?- Yes.
0:23:36 > 0:23:38That is us, mate.
0:23:38 > 0:23:42- Yeah, it's taking a selfie at my last day at school.- Oh, was it?
0:23:44 > 0:23:49- The last day at the school that you were at?- St Patrick's.- Yeah.
0:23:50 > 0:23:53- You came along and saw him. - Remember?
0:23:55 > 0:23:58No, I won't kid you that I do. No, I'm sorry.
0:23:58 > 0:24:02It was a big assembly, and you came and all the children,
0:24:02 > 0:24:06all his year got trophies, but Josh what did you get?
0:24:06 > 0:24:08Sportsman award, remember?
0:24:08 > 0:24:11Oh, yeah, I do vaguely remember it, yeah.
0:24:15 > 0:24:18It was a bit upsetting that, cos I thought he would have
0:24:18 > 0:24:22remembered that one, but he didn't, so, yeah.
0:24:25 > 0:24:31I was a bit sad because he can't really remember new stuff now so...
0:24:31 > 0:24:32Yeah.
0:24:33 > 0:24:36HE BLOWS
0:24:49 > 0:24:52# Cos I'm on top of the world, ay
0:24:52 > 0:24:54# I'm on top of the world, ay
0:24:54 > 0:24:57# Waiting on this for a while now
0:24:57 > 0:24:59# Paying my dues to the dirt
0:24:59 > 0:25:01# I've been waiting to smile, ay
0:25:01 > 0:25:04# Been holding it in for a while, ay
0:25:04 > 0:25:06# Take you with me if I can
0:25:06 > 0:25:09# Been dreaming of this since a child
0:25:09 > 0:25:11# I'm on top of the world. #
0:25:13 > 0:25:15Oh, lovely.
0:25:21 > 0:25:23SHE WEEPS
0:25:25 > 0:25:30All, it's come, all, all, all...
0:25:30 > 0:25:32Yep, all came.
0:25:32 > 0:25:35And it's beautiful.
0:25:37 > 0:25:42HE SINGS: # Oh, beautiful
0:25:42 > 0:25:45# Beautiful
0:25:45 > 0:25:49# It's you
0:25:49 > 0:25:51# I can't
0:25:51 > 0:25:55# I behold
0:25:55 > 0:26:01# I had...I had you
0:26:01 > 0:26:06# Do you, and for you
0:26:06 > 0:26:10# Having you again
0:26:10 > 0:26:14# And a man
0:26:14 > 0:26:18# The man is beau... #
0:26:19 > 0:26:22THEY CHEER
0:26:35 > 0:26:38I know that I have to live with Daddy soon,
0:26:38 > 0:26:42so I am going to have as much fun as I can with Nanny while we still can.
0:26:44 > 0:26:48I'm going to my secondary school. I feel very ready.
0:26:49 > 0:26:54Maybe because sometimes over the summer, by helping Grandad,
0:26:54 > 0:26:56yeah, I feel a bit grown-up.
0:26:58 > 0:27:01Ooh, look at you!
0:27:07 > 0:27:11This letter is for Hope, for the future.
0:27:11 > 0:27:14My speech is going now,
0:27:14 > 0:27:17so it will tell her
0:27:17 > 0:27:23how much she meant to me and she'll always be in my heart.
0:27:29 > 0:27:32HE SINGS
0:27:34 > 0:27:39'Before it was quite hard for me to communicate to him
0:27:39 > 0:27:41'and I really didn't know how to.'
0:27:43 > 0:27:46When he laughs and sings,
0:27:46 > 0:27:50it makes me happy
0:27:50 > 0:27:55because I know then that he is happy.
0:27:57 > 0:28:00We're basically fighting a losing battle.
0:28:00 > 0:28:03What keeps us going is that I want to keep my grandad going,
0:28:03 > 0:28:07so that's basically the main cure.
0:28:07 > 0:28:09# We'll go up, up, up
0:28:09 > 0:28:11# But I'll fly a little higher
0:28:11 > 0:28:16# We'll go up in the clouds because the view is a little nicer
0:28:16 > 0:28:21# Up here, my dear
0:28:21 > 0:28:25# It won't be long now It won't be long now... #