FTD - Navigating The Cr*p

In this special bonus episode of FTD: Navigating the Crap, Beth is joined by Natalie Carter, host of the Dementia Dialogues podcast.

Earlier this year, Beth shared her own family’s experience of Frontotemporal Dementia on Natalie’s podcast, and now the roles are reversed as she joins Beth to share her story and reflect on what she’s learned through years of honest conversations with carers and families affected by dementia.

Together, they talk about the shock of diagnosis and the devastating lack of follow-up support so many families face, the emotional weight carried by carers who don’t always recognise themselves as carers and the guilt, burnout and isolation that come up again and again in these journeys. 

They also discuss why forward planning, early conversations and peer support can make such a difference and why too many people still fall through the cracks, particularly older carers.

If you need advice or support, you can contact:

You can also listen to Natalie’s podcast Dementia Dialogues wherever you get your podcasts, where she continues these vital conversations with carers, professionals and people living with dementia.

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In this final episode of Season Two, Beth takes a moment to pause, look back, and share where life - and her mum’s dementia journey - are now.

She talks openly about the hardest moments of the past year: the sudden overnight decline that changed everything, learning to adapt to new routines with her dad and facing the reality that dementia is a progressive, life-limiting disease.

Beth also reflects on the powerful conversations she’s had throughout this series - from Helen’s genetic testing experience to Eleanor’s discussion on living grief - and how they’ve shaped her own thinking about guilt, self-care and what the future might hold.

The podcast will return in 2026, but for now, Beth is taking a much-needed break to spend precious time with her mum over the festive period.

If you need support with anything discussed in this podcast, visit alzheimers.org.uk for the dementia support line.

To learn more about dementia research and how you can get involved, email infoline@alzheimersresearchuk.org.

To stay connected or share your story:

📸 Instagram: @ftdnavigatingthecrap

✉️ Email: ftdnavigatingthecrap@gmail.com

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In this episode, Beth is joined by Eleanor Connelly from Tide (Together In Dementia Everyday) - a charity dedicated to supporting carers and former carers of people living with dementia. Eleanor opens up about her experience caring for her dad with vascular dementia, and how her own grief led her to the work she now does.

Together, we explore one of the hardest and most hidden parts of dementia: living grief.

The grief you feel while your loved one is still here - but changing. The weight of the lives you’re no longer living. The guilt. The silent thoughts. The things we don’t say out loud because we worry they make us bad carers or bad people. Eleanor shares how opening up about these feelings can be a lifeline.

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, resentful, guilty or ashamed for the thoughts you’ve had on this journey -this episode will help you feel less alone.

If today’s episode resonated with you, you can access Tide’s free events, resources, booklets and videos at Tide.uk.net.

Tide isn’t just for carers and former carers - they also provide training and resources for professionals, helping everyone to better understand and navigate the dementia journey.

If you need support with anything discussed in this podcast, visit alzheimers.org.uk for the dementia support line.

To learn more about dementia research and how you can get involved, email infoline@alzheimersresearchuk.org

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In this episode, Beth is joined by her friend Lauren, who shares the story of her Nana’s dementia diagnosis at 87, after years of slowly declining health.

Lauren explains how her Nana’s diabetes complicated symptoms, delayed a diagnosis and masked what was really going on - and how dementia still hit her family like a shockwave, even at an older age.

This episode is a reminder that dementia always hurts, no matter how old someone is. It still shakes families, it still changes everything and it still takes so much love, patience and strength to navigate it.

If you need support with anything discussed in this podcast, visit alzheimers.org.uk for the dementia support line.

To learn more about dementia research and how you can get involved, email infoline@alzheimersresearchuk.org

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Beth is joined by Helen, whose family has been profoundly affected by familial FTD.

Helen first experienced the disease through her aunt, and later through her mum. When her mum was diagnosed, Helen was confronted with the reality that FTD could be genetic and that it might also shape her own future.

With honesty and courage, Helen shares what it was like growing up in a close, loving family, watching both her mum and aunt change through FTD, and eventually making the difficult decision to undergo genetic testing herself.

She talks about the long and emotional process of counselling, the moment she received her results and how she and her husband began planning for the future while raising their young son.

If you need support with anything discussed in this podcast, visit alzheimers.org.uk for the dementia support line.

To learn more about dementia research and how you can get involved, email infoline@alzheimersresearchuk.org.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this special bonus episode, Beth shares a very personal update about her family’s experience with genetic testing for FTD.

After finally receiving a long-awaited appointment with a geneticist, Beth reflects on the difficult questions this raises - whether to test or not, the emotional toll of waiting and what it means to live with the uncertainty of a possible genetic link to dementia.

With raw honesty, she talks through the pros and cons of knowing, the impact on mental health and the challenges of navigating a healthcare system that often feels painfully slow. This episode aims to offers a window into the complex decisions many families face when dementia may run in the family.

If you need support with anything discussed in this podcast, visit alzheimers.org.uk for the dementia support line.

To learn more about dementia research and how you can get involved, email infoline@alzheimersresearchuk.org

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In this deeply emotional episode, Beth sits down with close friend Kirsty Roebuck, who has faced the unimaginable - both of her parents were diagnosed with vascular dementia within 18 months of each other.

Kirsty opens up about the first signs that something wasn’t right with her dad and the grief of slowly losing both parents in different ways to the same disease.

She talks with heartbreaking honesty about denial, anger, guilt and the heavy responsibility that falls on families in caring roles.

From navigating care systems, to handling aggressive behaviour, to coping with anticipatory grief and the emotional toll of becoming “the parent” to your parents, this is a story that so many will sadly recognise.

But this episode is also full of love - love that continues even when dementia takes so much away.

If you need support with anything discussed in this podcast, visit alzheimers.org.uk for the dementia support line.

To learn more about dementia research and how you can get involved, email infoline@alzheimersresearchuk.org

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Beth is joined by Hannah Gardner, a Consultant Admiral Nurse for Children and Young People at Dementia UK.

Hannah works directly with families affected by dementia, helping children and young carers understand the condition and find the support they need.

Drawing from her own lived experience of having a mum with young-onset dementia, Hannah shares how her personal journey shaped her passion for supporting others.

In this episode, she and Beth explore how dementia impacts the whole family, how to talk to children about it and why recognising and supporting young carers is so vital.

If you’d like to connect with Dementia UK or access support, you can call the Dementia UK Admiral Nurse Helpline on 0800 888 6678.

To learn more about dementia research and how you can get involved, email infoline@alzheimersresearchuk.org.

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This week, Beth is joined by Stacey Markle, who shares her powerful and deeply personal story of navigating dementia as an only child after the sudden loss of her father. When her mum began showing signs of cognitive decline, Stacey became her primary caregiver, managing everything from diagnosis to daily care, and later navigating the complexities of long-term care in the US system.

Over the past ten years, Stacey has gained invaluable knowledge about dementia care, legal planning and the realities of caregiving. Through her Instagram page, @navigatingdementiacare, she now shares practical advice, candid reflections and support for others going through the same journey, helping caregivers feel less alone.

If you need support with anything discussed in this podcast, visit alzheimers.org.uk for the dementia support line.

To learn more about dementia research and how you can get involved, email infoline@alzheimersresearchuk.org

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Beth is joined by Dr Sarah Straughan, a Consultant Clinical Psychologist and dementia specialist. Sarah works closely with families and carers, helping them to navigate the often overwhelming challenges that come with dementia. 

If you’d like to connect with Sarah, you can follow her on Instagram @the_dementia_psychologist, where she shares practical advice, resources, and works to bust common dementia myths through her professional experience.

If you need support with anything discussed in this podcast, visit alzheimers.org.uk for the dementia support line.

To learn more about dementia research and how you can get involved, email infoline@alzheimersresearchuk.org.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Beth is back for Series 2 of the podcast and this time she’s been sitting down to talk to other people who’ve found their lives being affected by dementia, in whatever way, to chat about their experiences and to try to learn as much as possible about this illness… 

This week she is joined by Lukas Olszewski whose ex-partner was diagnosed with Frontotemporal Dementia at just 36.

Head over to remember-project.com to learn more about Lukas’s story, watch the trailer, and read the complete story behind the film. If you’d like to book Lukas for a screening event, you can get in touch directly by emailing mail@remember-project.com 

If you need support with anything discussed in this podcast, visit alzheimers.org.uk for the dementia support line.

If you’d like to learn more about dementia, the research happening right now, and how you can get involved, pop an email over to infoline@alzheimersresearchuk.org 

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In this episode Beth discusses finally receiving an FTD diagnosis for her mum and all the emotions that came with it...

If you're struggling with anything discussed in this podcast, there are a number of helplines available.

Visit alzheimers.org.uk for the dementia support line. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of the hardest things to acknowledge when you're looking after someone with FTD is that you need to look after yourself too - something that Beth has learnt over time.

If you need support with anything discussed in this podcast, visit alzheimers.org.uk for the dementia support line. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When Beth first realised that something wasn’t right with her mum, she had no idea the long journey they were about to embark on for a diagnosis… 

If you need support with anything discussed in this podcast, visit alzheimers.org.uk for the dementia support line. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What is FTD (Frontotemporal Dementia)?

There are several different types of dementia and when you or someone you love is first faced with a diagnosis, the information can feel overwhelming.

Beth explains a little more about what FTD is and introduces her and her mum's story.

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Coming Soon!

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