At first glance, the smiling photo of Nick Young and his father, Doug, seems like a cute familial moment frozen in time.

But behind their carefree grins lies a decade-long struggle with dementia that gradually robbed Doug of his independence and passions.

The story begins in 2011, when Doug, a healthy and active man, was diagnosed with dementia at the age of 76. Dementia is a broad term for progressive brain diseases like Alzheimer's that damage memory, thinking skills and independence.

Doug's shocking diagnosis meant that his mind and identity would slowly begin to deteriorate.

Despite the smiles, this photo hides Doug’s decade-long struggle with dementia. Image source: Instagram/@bondi2berry.

'It was really confronting initially because one of the tests to see how much cognitive decline there is is to remember a few words,' Nick shared.

'I could see his face pause, and I could see the change when he realised that he couldn’t remember.'

'For someone who was always healthy and active, to have it dawning on him that he was losing his memory, that was a really big shock for him, and I think it was the start of a really big change in his mindset.'

Doug, a car enthusiast, restored vintage cars for fun, taking them to local car shows to proudly put his handiwork on display.

Losing the independence that came with driving was another harsh blow after Doug's license was revoked due to his diagnosis.

'I can still picture his face, it was just, “You can’t do that, you can’t take away my licence”. That was dad’s independence, and he loved cars,' Nick recalled.

'They were his passion, and then to not have a licence to drive—it was heartbreaking for him and heartbreaking for us as his family.'

In December 2017, Doug was admitted to the hospital for an unrelated illness. It was there that Nick's family received the fateful news that Doug would need full-time professional care and would not be returning home again.

Though it pained them, Nick said the decision came as a relief to Doug's wife and was a 'blessing in disguise'.

'Mum would have happily taken him home, but to get told by the doctors he would only be leaving to go into full-time professional care…it gave mum a bit of peace.'

Doug spent his remaining days and passed away peacefully in a familiar aged care facility that cared for Nick’s grandparents. His mum remembered some of the staff from years back.

During Doug's trying battle with dementia, Nick found inspiration in his father's plight. In 2016, Nick and his friend Pierre Sullivan created the charity bike ride Bondi2Berry to raise money for dementia research.

The charity, which now goes by the name Dementia Research Community, holds its annual 155km ride and has since raised $1.3 million since its inception.

Nick Young started his advocacy, Bondi2Berry (now known as Dementia Research Community), to raise money for dementia research. Image source: Nick Young.

'We started off with 40 people, riding from Bondi and through the national park to Berry, and soon, so many friends came to us with stories of their own personal connection too,' Nick said.

'Now, in 2023, we have about 150 riders, and we’ll be able to fund a research project from this ride specifically from the fundraising our riders do.'

You can find out more about Nick Young’s advocacy, the Dementia Research Community, on this website.

Key Takeaways

• Nick Young shared a heartbreaking story of his dad's slow deterioration from dementia since his diagnosis in 2011.
  
• His dad's driver's licence was revoked due to his cognitive decline, a move which Nick describes as a major blow to his dad's confidence and independence.
  
• The family were told in December 2017 that Doug, Nick's dad, would not be coming home from the hospital and would go into full-time professional care instead.
  
• Nick Young co-founded the Bondi2Berry charity ride, now under the new name Dementia Research Community, in 2016. The annual 155km ride has raised over $1.3 million for dementia research since its inception.
  

If you, or anyone you know, is dealing with dementia or would just like to support those diagnosed with the illness, you may go to Dementia Australia’s website for more information and support.

 

[Col@45]

At first glance, the smiling photo of Nick Young and his father, Doug, seems like a cute familial moment frozen in time.

But behind their carefree grins lies a decade-long struggle with dementia that gradually robbed Doug of his independence and passions.

The story begins in 2011, when Doug, a healthy and active man, was diagnosed with dementia at the age of 76. Dementia is a broad term for progressive brain diseases like Alzheimer's that damage memory, thinking skills and independence.

Doug's shocking diagnosis meant that his mind and identity would slowly begin to deteriorate.

View attachment 32429

Despite the smiles, this photo hides Doug’s decade-long struggle with dementia. Image source: Instagram/@bondi2berry.

'It was really confronting initially because one of the tests to see how much cognitive decline there is is to remember a few words,' Nick shared.

'I could see his face pause, and I could see the change when he realised that he couldn’t remember.'

'For someone who was always healthy and active, to have it dawning on him that he was losing his memory, that was a really big shock for him, and I think it was the start of a really big change in his mindset.'

Doug, a car enthusiast, restored vintage cars for fun, taking them to local car shows to proudly put his handiwork on display.

Losing the independence that came with driving was another harsh blow after Doug's license was revoked due to his diagnosis.

'I can still picture his face, it was just, “You can’t do that, you can’t take away my licence”. That was dad’s independence, and he loved cars,' Nick recalled.

'They were his passion, and then to not have a licence to drive—it was heartbreaking for him and heartbreaking for us as his family.'

In December 2017, Doug was admitted to the hospital for an unrelated illness. It was there that Nick's family received the fateful news that Doug would need full-time professional care and would not be returning home again.

Though it pained them, Nick said the decision came as a relief to Doug's wife and was a 'blessing in disguise'.

'Mum would have happily taken him home, but to get told by the doctors he would only be leaving to go into full-time professional care…it gave mum a bit of peace.'

Doug spent his remaining days and passed away peacefully in a familiar aged care facility that cared for Nick’s grandparents. His mum remembered some of the staff from years back.

During Doug's trying battle with dementia, Nick found inspiration in his father's plight. In 2016, Nick and his friend Pierre Sullivan created the charity bike ride Bondi2Berry to raise money for dementia research.

The charity, which now goes by the name Dementia Research Community, holds its annual 155km ride and has since raised $1.3 million since its inception.

View attachment 32428

Nick Young started his advocacy, Bondi2Berry (now known as Dementia Research Community), to raise money for dementia research. Image source: Nick Young.

'We started off with 40 people, riding from Bondi and through the national park to Berry, and soon, so many friends came to us with stories of their own personal connection too,' Nick said.

'Now, in 2023, we have about 150 riders, and we’ll be able to fund a research project from this ride specifically from the fundraising our riders do.'

You can find out more about Nick Young’s advocacy, the Dementia Research Community, on this website.

Key Takeaways

• Nick Young shared a heartbreaking story of his dad's slow deterioration from dementia since his diagnosis in 2011.
• His dad's driver's licence was revoked due to his cognitive decline, a move which Nick describes as a major blow to his dad's confidence and independence.
• The family were told in December 2017 that Doug, Nick's dad, would not be coming home from the hospital and would go into full-time professional care instead.
• Nick Young co-founded the Bondi2Berry charity ride, now under the new name Dementia Research Community, in 2016. The annual 155km ride has raised over $1.3 million for dementia research since its inception.

If you, or anyone you know, is dealing with dementia or would just like to support those diagnosed with the illness, you may go to Dementia Australia’s website for more information and support.

Thankyou for sharing your story....so heartbreaking. Good luck with raising money for Dementia illness.

 

[Ezzy]

At first glance, the smiling photo of Nick Young and his father, Doug, seems like a cute familial moment frozen in time.

But behind their carefree grins lies a decade-long struggle with dementia that gradually robbed Doug of his independence and passions.

The story begins in 2011, when Doug, a healthy and active man, was diagnosed with dementia at the age of 76. Dementia is a broad term for progressive brain diseases like Alzheimer's that damage memory, thinking skills and independence.

Doug's shocking diagnosis meant that his mind and identity would slowly begin to deteriorate.

View attachment 32429

Despite the smiles, this photo hides Doug’s decade-long struggle with dementia. Image source: Instagram/@bondi2berry.

'It was really confronting initially because one of the tests to see how much cognitive decline there is is to remember a few words,' Nick shared.

'I could see his face pause, and I could see the change when he realised that he couldn’t remember.'

'For someone who was always healthy and active, to have it dawning on him that he was losing his memory, that was a really big shock for him, and I think it was the start of a really big change in his mindset.'

Doug, a car enthusiast, restored vintage cars for fun, taking them to local car shows to proudly put his handiwork on display.

Losing the independence that came with driving was another harsh blow after Doug's license was revoked due to his diagnosis.

'I can still picture his face, it was just, “You can’t do that, you can’t take away my licence”. That was dad’s independence, and he loved cars,' Nick recalled.

'They were his passion, and then to not have a licence to drive—it was heartbreaking for him and heartbreaking for us as his family.'

In December 2017, Doug was admitted to the hospital for an unrelated illness. It was there that Nick's family received the fateful news that Doug would need full-time professional care and would not be returning home again.

Though it pained them, Nick said the decision came as a relief to Doug's wife and was a 'blessing in disguise'.

'Mum would have happily taken him home, but to get told by the doctors he would only be leaving to go into full-time professional care…it gave mum a bit of peace.'

Doug spent his remaining days and passed away peacefully in a familiar aged care facility that cared for Nick’s grandparents. His mum remembered some of the staff from years back.

During Doug's trying battle with dementia, Nick found inspiration in his father's plight. In 2016, Nick and his friend Pierre Sullivan created the charity bike ride Bondi2Berry to raise money for dementia research.

The charity, which now goes by the name Dementia Research Community, holds its annual 155km ride and has since raised $1.3 million since its inception.

View attachment 32428

Nick Young started his advocacy, Bondi2Berry (now known as Dementia Research Community), to raise money for dementia research. Image source: Nick Young.

'We started off with 40 people, riding from Bondi and through the national park to Berry, and soon, so many friends came to us with stories of their own personal connection too,' Nick said.

'Now, in 2023, we have about 150 riders, and we’ll be able to fund a research project from this ride specifically from the fundraising our riders do.'

You can find out more about Nick Young’s advocacy, the Dementia Research Community, on this website.

Key Takeaways

• Nick Young shared a heartbreaking story of his dad's slow deterioration from dementia since his diagnosis in 2011.
• His dad's driver's licence was revoked due to his cognitive decline, a move which Nick describes as a major blow to his dad's confidence and independence.
• The family were told in December 2017 that Doug, Nick's dad, would not be coming home from the hospital and would go into full-time professional care instead.
• Nick Young co-founded the Bondi2Berry charity ride, now under the new name Dementia Research Community, in 2016. The annual 155km ride has raised over $1.3 million for dementia research since its inception.

If you, or anyone you know, is dealing with dementia or would just like to support those diagnosed with the illness, you may go to Dementia Australia’s website for more information and support.

Very sad story but inspirational in that Nick has been able to start an organization that will be beneficial for many years to come.

The scariest thing is that his father could be anyone of us in the blink of an eye at anytime in the future.