Eastlight Stories: Supporting a loved one with Alzheimer's

Our next episode of Eastlight Stories, a series created in memory of our Chair, Hattie Llewelyn-Davies, features Richard and Rosemarie Bessey, who moved into their Eastlight home in Halstead in 2013.

Richard is Rosemarie’s primary carer as she lives with Alzheimer’s and experiences memory loss.

Their story is one of love, resilience and commitment, as Richard supports Rosemarie with patience and compassion while making sure she feels safe and surrounded by the people and things that matter most.

Despite the challenges they face, their warmth, humour and positivity shine through.

Listen to their story below.

Five stories. One legacy.

Over the next few Fridays, Eastlight Stories will introduce more residents and their experiences.

• Out Now – Bobbie Town: Bobbie shares how she's putting down roots in her community after rebuilding, finding stability and moving forward after being homeless.
• Out Now – Richard and Rosemarie Bessey: Their story explores love, caring, resilience and the importance of having a home filled with familiarity and memories.
• 25 September – Govin and Rama Mouttoucoumarane: Their story explores accessibility, independence, community and the importance of having a home that genuinely meets your needs.
• 2 October – Jo Jones: Jo shares her experience of starting again after homelessness, building a life in her community and using her voice to influence Eastlight’s services.
• 9 October – Rue Garande: Rue talks about finding safety and security for herself and her daughter after domestic abuse, and about using her experience to make sure residents’ voices are heard. 

Together, these stories create the social history Hattie wanted to see – a record of the people who make up Eastlight and the lives they are building around their homes.

Hattie’s career was shaped by a deep belief in fairness, dignity and lived experience. At Eastlight, she helped create an organisation where residents’ voices could influence decisions, services and the way the organisation thinks.

She wanted Eastlight Stories to capture something that cannot be found in statistics or performance reports: the human experience of having a home.

This series is dedicated to her memory. It is a fulfilment of her wish. And, most importantly, it puts residents’ voices exactly where Hattie believed they belonged – at the heart of Eastlight.