We are pleased to present Enjoying Life With Dementia, a 2023 Australian short by William Yeates. Rather than offering a conventional narrative, the film explores themes of dementia, cognitive processing disability, motivation and inclusion. It speaks to achievement, group activity and mental health, inviting viewers to consider how people with disability are supported to pursue goals. As part of the Focus on Ability International Short Film Festival, this work sits alongside films that highlight the abilities, experiences and achievements of people with disability. It is a thoughtful, respectful piece that contributes to conversations about community, participation and the many ways people find meaning and purpose.
Growing up on the northern beaches of Sydney, surflife saving has always been a big part of my life. But this all changed in August 2019 when I was diagnosed with younger onset Alzheimer's disease at the age of 59. As a result, I stopped being a volunteer surflife saver and coaching competitors in an event known as Champion Lifesaver. This video is about my journey, not just in returning as a volunteer surflife saver and coaching competitors, but how this decision also allowed me to step out of my comfort zone and start working towards achieving a number of personal goals that I'd set myself. Hi, I'm Erica. I'm Bill's support coordinator with the NDIS. I met Bill when COVID started and we were out walking in the community. He was walking his dog and we got to chat and learn about his diagnosis and what he wanted to achieve within the NDIS framework. We understood that he's got a couple of goals and one of the goals is to return as a volunteer lifesaver and the other one is to compete in Master Swimming and Surf Lifesaving Championships, both of which Bill has never done before. So it's really exciting to be able to support him to achieve these goals with the team of allied health specialists. It's great to have Bill back on the team. We do understand his limitations after being diagnosed with Alzheimer's. It's really good for us to have Bill in our patrol. He's a great team member and it's important that we get him involved and he loves being involved. Bill approached me early on and the thing I noticed mostly was that he had an obvious cognitive impairment in that you could understand what he was trying to get across, but he didn't have a great ability to communicate his ideas, but what he wanted to do was to transition back to competitive swimming, which was a big undertaking, but one that I thought was a great challenge for him. And together we put together a neurocognitive training program which included things like body awareness, stability, reflex action and coordination through exercises that we do here at the gym, the ones that he can use and help support his ability to swim. So what we've noticed over the course of two and a half years is that Bill's physical abilities and all the physical aspects of our training have improved out of sight, but not only that, his cognitive abilities and his mental health have also improved and that's just evidenced in just the way that Bill's able to communicate and express himself on a day to day basis. So working with Bill has changed my whole perception of working with people with Alzheimer's. I think generally the perception of Alzheimer's is that it's a condition that generally just affects memory, but there's a whole range of physical impairments such as declining balance, declining coordination and also declining gait speed. So when we started working with Bill, we engaged in an exercise program to target Bill's balance, coordination, strength and gait. He's now progressed to working on running with his newfound confidence. So Bill's ability to now progress his running has enabled him to participate in his Competitive Masters life-saving events, which is invaluable for his overall health and well-being. Coaching competitors to champion life-saver is not only a challenge, but it also gives you an enormous amount of personal satisfaction, especially when our competitors are on the podium receiving a medal for the very first time. Even though Bill has Alzheimer's, he is still honestly amazing as a coach. He gets on the floor and with all the theory and resuscitation, he answers every single question, demonstrates everything we need to know and it's honestly like the best we could possibly ask for and he gives us 100% every time without a doubt. I think it's really great that Bill has this goal of competing next to us and championing life-saver. It really gives us something to aspire towards. It's just a bit of an inspiration really. You see him out there on the boards and you just kind of think, well, if he can do it, then surely I can do it and it's good how he can apply it for his own competition. So he's also experiencing that side of things as well as coaching. So yeah, I think it's a really good goal to have for him. Since knowing Bill from the start of COVID, it's been really, really wonderful seeing him build such a connection with the local community and it's really good for mental health and for his diagnosis to get out and chat to people and just establish beautiful relationships and that's one of the key components of our local community as well. Without the support and encouragement from my family, friends and champion life-savers, I would not have been able to achieve any of my goals.
Filmmaker
William Yeates is the filmmaker behind this entry.
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17 comments
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Kevin Lee26/08/2023
Totally inspirational. It is great to see you swim in SwimFit Tuesday mornings. I hope that I can swim faster to keep up with you.
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Pamella Macleod25/08/2023
Yippee for Bill. This is astonishing and encouraging for us all. Its so good to see his positive approach and the support of all has friends and contacts. bill you are impressive
J
John Bransby25/08/2023
Great to see Bill actually improving and not declining. Being a 50 year member of Coogee Surf Club and having trained hard my whole life for surf skis rowing and running I can vouch for the benefits of keeping up a substantial exercise program. I'm back doing road running most days lots of rowing machine skis and tennis. Never felt better or more energised. Keep it going Bill
C
cate Archibald25/08/2023
I think Bill is inspirational good on him I have no doubt this will give alot of people some hope so thank you Bill
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Violet WILKINSON24/08/2023
Well done Bill you are amazing and an inspiration to all Warringah Masters swimmers on a Wednesday night Sunday morning.
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Simon Cosh24/08/2023
Inspirational.A remarkable achievement Bill. Well done Mate. Looking forward to following you as you achieve your goals.
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Greg Dodds23/08/2023
I have known Bill for a number of years after meeting at the gym. What this film does knowing Bill chatting with him is there are things you can do exercise program community involvement generally having a go to not allow Dementia to get the better of you . I didn't realize exercise was such a key component in slowing down dementia Bill you are a true inspiration.
P
Paul Geraghty21/08/2023
Bill and I played Rugby League together as young boys. He never took a backward stephe was as tough as they come. He was a great inspiration to all of us that played with him. He will give this latest battle 100 . I wish him all the best.
C
Caitlin Yeates20/08/2023
A really inspiring film created by my Dad. I am so proud of him for creating a short documentary that hopefully encourages other who are living with dementia to realise they can still live a rewarding and fulfilling life
E
Ernest Shaw20/08/2023
I walk with Bill just about most mornings at Curl Curl and i still fail to see the advancement of dementure to any extent. what can i say apart from amazing. onya Bill
J
John Ellis19/08/2023
What an excellent inspiration story to live life no matter what hurdles are thrown in front of you.Bills film has encouraged me to reconnect to my surf club which I left over 30 years ago. Well done Bill.
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Wilkins Patti19/08/2023
Congratulations Bill. Great achievements and so inspiring to see you working towards rose goals. The whole community benefits.
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Peggy Long18/08/2023
Wow what an amazing little Film that shows being diagnosed with Dementia is not a life sentence. It means focussing on your goals and work towards them with purpose - a lesson for us all. Good luck William you are an inspiration to us all.
J
Julie Oates18/08/2023
Congratulations Bill. Your film will encourage many people who have been diagnosed with Alzheimers and their families friends and Carers. We must never give up on maintaining our health.Best wishes.
M
Moni GOMEZ17/08/2023
I find your film so inspiring. I wish many community members would be inspired by your determination Thank you William
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Nell Hawe17/08/2023
A wonderful educative film on how we can live well with our dementia. . Kudos to you William and all the best
C
Col Blake17/08/2023
Fantastic inspiration. As a carer for my wife I bekieve being involved is such an important part of Dementia. Well done William
Totally inspirational. It is great to see you swim in SwimFit Tuesday mornings. I hope that I can swim faster to keep up with you.
Yippee for Bill. This is astonishing and encouraging for us all. Its so good to see his positive approach and the support of all has friends and contacts. bill you are impressive
Great to see Bill actually improving and not declining. Being a 50 year member of Coogee Surf Club and having trained hard my whole life for surf skis rowing and running I can vouch for the benefits of keeping up a substantial exercise program. I'm back doing road running most days lots of rowing machine skis and tennis. Never felt better or more energised. Keep it going Bill
I think Bill is inspirational good on him I have no doubt this will give alot of people some hope so thank you Bill
Well done Bill you are amazing and an inspiration to all Warringah Masters swimmers on a Wednesday night Sunday morning.
Inspirational.A remarkable achievement Bill. Well done Mate. Looking forward to following you as you achieve your goals.
I have known Bill for a number of years after meeting at the gym. What this film does knowing Bill chatting with him is there are things you can do exercise program community involvement generally having a go to not allow Dementia to get the better of you . I didn't realize exercise was such a key component in slowing down dementia Bill you are a true inspiration.
Bill and I played Rugby League together as young boys. He never took a backward stephe was as tough as they come. He was a great inspiration to all of us that played with him. He will give this latest battle 100 . I wish him all the best.
A really inspiring film created by my Dad. I am so proud of him for creating a short documentary that hopefully encourages other who are living with dementia to realise they can still live a rewarding and fulfilling life
I walk with Bill just about most mornings at Curl Curl and i still fail to see the advancement of dementure to any extent. what can i say apart from amazing. onya Bill
What an excellent inspiration story to live life no matter what hurdles are thrown in front of you.Bills film has encouraged me to reconnect to my surf club which I left over 30 years ago. Well done Bill.
Congratulations Bill. Great achievements and so inspiring to see you working towards rose goals. The whole community benefits.
Wow what an amazing little Film that shows being diagnosed with Dementia is not a life sentence. It means focussing on your goals and work towards them with purpose - a lesson for us all. Good luck William you are an inspiration to us all.
Congratulations Bill. Your film will encourage many people who have been diagnosed with Alzheimers and their families friends and Carers. We must never give up on maintaining our health.Best wishes.
I find your film so inspiring. I wish many community members would be inspired by your determination Thank you William
A wonderful educative film on how we can live well with our dementia. . Kudos to you William and all the best
Fantastic inspiration. As a carer for my wife I bekieve being involved is such an important part of Dementia. Well done William