Tag Archives: wendy mitchell

I was saddened to learn that Wendy Mitchell, who so generously and insightfully shared her experience living with dementia through her blog and books, died this week. However, I take solace in knowing that Mitchell left this world in a way that honored the agency she still had over her own life.

I mostly knew Mitchell through her blog, Which me am I today? The blog’s title captures the dementia experience so well. I enjoyed the photos she shared from her sunrise walks, which included gorgeous skies as well as a variety of birds and other animals. Mitchell was dedicated to her nature walks, writing that the “miracle of nature would thin the glue in my head and bring me alive again.” Mitchell shared the full spectrum of the dementia experience, demonstrating that memory impairment does not prevent those with dementia from continuing to feel a wide range of emotions, maintaining a sense of humor, and achieving new milestones.

At the same time, Mitchell was clear-eyed about what the end of the dementia journey looks like for many people, and she was determined to not have her life end that way. She had been making her end of life plans for awhile, consulting with family and getting their blessing. Because assisted dying isn’t a legal option in the UK, Mitchell planned to travel to Switzerland and utilize the services available at Dignitas. But a recent fall in which she spent a week in the hospital derailed those plans. With her mobility limited, Mitchell chose to stop eating and drinking. You can read Mitchell’s final blog post which goes into detail about her decision process. I encourage you to read it, even if you disagree with her choice.

For the record, I support assisted dying and would consider that option for myself. I think it’s a decision for an individual, in consultation with family members, medical providers and spiritual advisers to make, NOT government officials.

Mitchell shared on her blog what she hoped to accomplish by sharing her dementia journey: “What I want is not sympathy. What I want is simply to raise awareness.” Mission accomplished.

This is Sarah and Gemma, Wendy’s daughters. Our mum died peacefully early this morning. She wrote a blog post before she died so you can read about it from her perspective.
Sarah and Gemmahttps://t.co/PgQCUFKK6H

— DrDr (😊)Wendy Mitchell (@WendyPMitchell) February 22, 2024

Illustration by Microsoft Copilot.