Episodios

  • In Conversation with Ruth Jones Part 2: Annie’s Legacy

    In Conversation with Ruth Jones Part 2: Annie’s Legacy
    Feb 3 2026
    In part 2 of the conversation with her friend Ruth Jones, Justine speaks with raw honesty about the heartbreak of slowly losing her mum, the realities of caring and the overwhelming guilt that so often follows. She reflects on the moments she wishes she could relive, the memories she clings to, and the pain of a Christmas Eve goodbye.

    Driven by love and necessity, Justine created a respite project that transformed the lives of families living with dementia - a beautiful, dignified space where joy, music, kindness, and humanity come first, and where carers are finally given permission to rest.

    This episode is about more than loss. It’s about making moments matter. It’s about finding light in the darkest places and about the profound impact one woman’s life can have long after she’s gone.

    If you have any questions for Justine and Prof Julie, email us hello@twomindspodcast.co.uk.

    For further help and advice, please visit
    https://www.alzheimers.org.uk
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    31 m
  • In Conversation with Ruth Jones Part 1: When a Mother Needs Her Daughter

    In Conversation with Ruth Jones Part 1: When a Mother Needs Her Daughter
    Jan 27 2026
    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 hello@twomindspodcast.co.uk.

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

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    36 m
  • Decoding Dementia: Dr. Emma Mead on the Future of Alzheimer’s Therapies

    Decoding Dementia: Dr. Emma Mead on the Future of Alzheimer’s Therapies
    Jan 20 2026
    Dr. Emma Mead is the Chief Scientific Officer at the Oxford Drug Discovery Institute. In this episode, we explore with her the cutting-edge science behind Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases.

    Dr. Mead takes us through the journey from groundbreaking genetic discoveries to the development of potential therapies, explaining how tiny brain cells called microglia could hold the key to preventing and slowing dementia.

    We dive into the complexities of Alzheimer’s beyond amyloid plaques, the promise of targeting genes like PLCG2, and the innovative approaches to drug discovery—from identifying molecular “hits” in the lab to partnering with pharmaceutical companies for clinical trials. Emma also shares her vision for a future where patients benefit from a toolbox of personalised treatments, early diagnosis, and improved quality of life.

    This episode offers hope, insight, and a human perspective on a disease that affects one in two of us, directly or indirectly. Whether you’re a researcher, carer, or someone interested in the future of neuroscience, this conversation highlights why the next decade could transform dementia care.

    If you have any questions for Justine and Prof Julie. Email us hello@twomindspodcast.co.uk.

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



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    29 m
  • Finding Purpose and the Right Environment: Supporting People with Young Onset Dementia at Ty Hapus

    Finding Purpose and the Right Environment: Supporting People with Young Onset Dementia at Ty Hapus
    Jan 13 2026
    Ty Hapus is a unique South Wales-based respite project for people living with young-onset dementia. Tess Thomas, the manager of Ty Hapus, shares her passion for supporting the dementia community and how the service creates a sense of purpose, connection, and joy for both guests and their carers.

    We discuss the importance of tailored activities, routines, and communication strategies, as well as the vital role of respite in supporting carers’ mental health. From music sessions to creative projects, Tess illustrates how Ty Hapus transforms respite into meaningful experiences and fosters a vibrant, home-from-home environment.

    Whether you’re a carer, a health professional, or simply interested in dementia care, this conversation is full of practical advice, heartfelt stories, and insights into creating spaces where people living with dementia can thrive.

    If you have any questions for Justine and Prof Julie. Email us hello@twomindspodcast.co.uk.

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

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    31 m
  • Navigating the Next Step - Understanding Care Options with Clive Bowman

    Navigating the Next Step - Understanding Care Options with Clive Bowman
    Jan 6 2026
    When someone you love is living with dementia, the future can feel frightening, confusing, and full of impossible choices. In this episode, Clive Bowman - formerly a leading physician and Medical Director at Bupa - demystifies what good care really looks like and how families can prepare before crisis forces their hand.

    Drawing on decades spent at both the bedside and the boardroom, Clive explains why early planning matters, how to spot a high-quality care home, and why transparency with professionals is essential. He shares extraordinary real-world stories about medication, sedatives, and the difference the right environment can make for quality of life, dignity, and connection.

    If you want to know when to start looking at care options, why transitions into care can improve a person’s wellbeing, and what truly distinguishes a compassionate care home, then this is a must-listen-to episode.

    If you have any questions for Justine and Prof Julie. Email us hello@twomindspodcast.co.uk.
    For further help and advice please visit
    https://www.alzheimers.org.uk
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    39 m
  • ARCHIVE: Music and Memory with soprano Rebecca Evans CBE

    ARCHIVE: Music and Memory with soprano Rebecca Evans CBE
    Dec 30 2025
    We wish you well during this festival period and look forward to being back with you in the New Year. In the meantime, we're revisiting a highlight from our first series with the brilliant Rebecca Evans CBE.

    The Grammy award-winning soprano talks about her career and how important supporting the dementia community is to her.

    We also explore the power of music to unlock memories and provide comfort to those living with dementia. Prof Julie explains the neurological basis for why music memory persists even as other cognitive functions decline.

    Rebecca talks about witnessing Alzheimer’s for the first time as a nurse and shares her experiences as an ambassador of the Forget Me Nots Chorus, which uses music to support individuals with dementia and their caregivers.

     We are aware that the Christmas and New Year period can be a difficult time for those living with or caring for someone with Dementia. Please remember you can always reach out for any help or advice at https://www.alzheimers.org.uk
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    38 m
  • Turning Pain into Power: Jen’s Story of Love, Loss & Resilience

    Turning Pain into Power: Jen’s Story of Love, Loss & Resilience
    Dec 23 2025
    This week we sit down with Jen, who reflects on her mother’s PCA diagnosis, the sudden loss of her father, and the challenges of caring for young children while holding her world together.

    Her honesty resonates profoundly with Justine’s own journey caring for her mum. Together, they talk about the confusion, the fear, and the emotional weight of watching someone you love change. Jen goes on to explain her newfound ability to “turn pain into power”.

    There are tears, moments of laughter and a shared appreciation for the small acts of self-care — yoga, music, a walk, five guilt-free minutes — that help carers survive the hardest days.

    This episode is a tender reminder that none of us are alone in the complexity of caring for someone with dementia, and that strength often shows up in the quietest, most human ways.

    We'd love to hear your stories and your advice for anyone living with dementia - or if you have any questions for Justine and Prof Julie. Email us hello@twomindspodcast.co.uk.

    For further help and advice, please visit
    https://www.alzheimers.org.uk
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    37 m
  • From Big Data to Big Breakthroughs: Caleb Webber on Parkinson’s

    From Big Data to Big Breakthroughs: Caleb Webber on Parkinson’s
    Dec 16 2025
    In this powerful and hopeful episode of In Two Minds, Professor Caleb Webber explains how vast new datasets and AI-driven pattern-spotting are transforming our understanding of conditions like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.

    Caleb is the Director of Informatics at the UK Dementia Research Institute and a leading voice in decoding the complexities of neurodegenerative disease. He reveals groundbreaking findings from his team’s work: surprising overlaps between Parkinson’s and diabetes, the discovery that existing hypertension medications may halve the risk of developing Parkinson’s, and a major new study exploring whether combining blood-pressure drugs with GLP-1 therapies (like Ozempic-type medications) could slow or even prevent the disease.

    Caleb offers real reasons for optimism: that prevention may be within reach, that repurposed medications could help people sooner than expected, and that the next decade of brain-health research looks more promising than any before.

    This is an episode filled with science, humanity, and genuine hope — for people living with Parkinson’s today, for those caring for them, and for anyone navigating life touched by neurodegenerative disease.

    We'd love to hear your stories and your advice for anyone living with dementia - or if you have any questions for Justine and Prof Julie. Email us hello@twomindspodcast.co.uk.

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