Reverend James Richardson built his life around the Church. His faith remains intact, though some career details are now hazy due to dementia. The walls of his Staffordshire care home room are filled with pictures reminding him of who he was.
'It's hard when you move a parent into a care home, particularly if they are resistant,' says TV presenter Anna Richardson, his daughter. 'It was like a military operation. We kept things important to him: his books, family pictures, his wedding photo, meeting the Queen and the Pope.'
Moving their father into the home just over a year ago was heartbreaking. 'We reached the point where it wasn't safe for him to be on his own,' Anna explains. 'He was falling a lot, ending up in hospital. A fellow resident found him wandering outside in his underwear.'
The home was chosen partly because it was near his church. But Anna was furious when the local authority proposed moving him to a cheaper facility 50 miles away. 'The social worker said, "He's got dementia. He doesn't know where he is, so it doesn't matter." I was enraged.'
Anna's experience echoes a damning report from Alzheimer's Society, revealing nearly half of care home workers lack specific dementia training, despite 70% of residents having the condition. Half of dementia courses last just one to two hours—shorter than barista training.
'I'm so angry about the poor standard of social care,' says Anna. 'I've witnessed shocking things: people lined up in front of inappropriate TV screens all day, no stimulation, inappropriate food. Staff have told me, "Oh, he's away with the fairies today."'
Anna made a documentary in 2024 about her family's struggles. Her father, a retired Canon, has vascular dementia. 'He still knows who I am, but he's more confused,' she says. 'I have to go into his world.'
She manages care from London and Staffordshire, with help from her brothers and partner. 'Every fall triggers a scramble. I've used antidepressants. It's catastrophic and endless.'
Anna criticises the Church of England for lack of support. 'My dad gave his life to the Church, and I don't see much coming back.' She worries about her own future without children. 'One in three will develop dementia. Where are we all going?'
She recalls a poignant moment: 'I was putting him to bed after changing urine-soaked sheets, and he said, "Night, night. Don't let the bedbugs bite," like when I was little. I wept and wept. It's a long grief. I hope he's taken swiftly.'
