It is so valuable to listen to how other people have experienced dementia in the lives of their family members. What unites people in this Chamber is our desire to make sure anyone who has dementia is supported to the best ability this country can provide and to support family members and loved ones around the person with dementia. As has been so eloquently said, it is important because it is such a confusing time for the person with dementia but also the people around them. My mother-in-law had dementia. She died in 2023. She ran her own business, a hotel, and she was a tailor. She was an incredibly capable woman who loved having the chats. As her dementia progressed, it was utterly heartbreaking to watch her and to see how it was affecting my husband, his siblings and my father-in-law. I also had to try to explain to my children what was going wrong with Oma. She was German. My husband is German, as I am sure I have said 100 times here. The point is that many people, many of my neighbours, colleagues and friends, have experienced this. We need to make sure the person with dementia is able to live at home for as long as possible and be supported by professionals; that the family members are supported by professionals; and if and when the transition to full-time care needs to come, that the place, as Deputy Whitmore described, is inspiring and welcoming because often for people with dementia, it is about feelings and how they feel comfortable in their environment. Therefore, we need to make sure it is the best we can provide.

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