In Conversation with Ruth Jones Part 1: When a Mother Needs Her Daughter

The one and only Ruth Jones joins the podcast for the next two weeks as co-host of In Two Minds. As Julie takes a little break, Justine shares with Ruth the story she never thought she could tell — the story of her mum, Annie, and their family’s journey through young-onset dementia.

Justine reflects on who Annie was before the diagnosis: a glamorous, funny, fiercely loving woman — a young mum and a devoted grandmother. Together, they explore the slow, bewildering onset of dementia, the thousand small moments that didn’t make sense at the time, and the heartbreak of watching independence, dignity, and language gradually slip away.

This episode speaks honestly about the realities of caring: the humiliation dementia can bring, the exhaustion of “orchestrated fun,” and the painful question of who normality is really for.

A tribute to Annie, and to all families living with dementia, this episode is about love in its rawest form — and why better understanding, support, and respite matter so deeply.

If you have any questions for Justine and Prof Julie, email us [e-mail].

For further help and advice, please visit
https://www.alzheimers.org.uk