Melting Moments

Description

I am a Chartered Physiotherapist working in private practice and have serviced nursing home facilities for almost 18 years. I have seen the challenges that people with dementia and their families face on a daily basis and wanted to help create more understanding and support within our community for those affected. I completing a MSc in Dementia and during my studies my 5 children U10 had so many questions about the disease and I felt that they cant be the only children looking for answers so I wrote a children’s book about dementia called Melting Moments.
Melting Moments is a heartwarming story about two loveable penguin characters Toddles and Waddles that go on an adventure to explores dementia in a child-friendly way. As Waddles’ memories begin to “melt away” like snowflakes, Toddles strives to create new moments of joy and connection. The story offers a gentle way to open discussions about memory loss, highlighting how love and happiness can persist, even when memories fade. It reassures children that feeling scared, confused, or worried is okay, while encouraging open conversations about these complex feelings. This book has the potential to resonate with children and families, offering comfort and understanding for those impacted by dementia. It reflects the importance of cherishing the present and embracing love in all circumstances and help people to continue meaningful relationships.
Melting Moments reached the Irish Times Bestseller list in September 2024 which I feel speaks volumes to the amount of people trying to navigate the challenges of the disease. The book has been translated to Gaeilge and was launched in the Mansion House in March 2025 during Seachtain na Gaeilge. Some people with dementia revert back to their first language which for many in Ireland is Gaeilge so it is important to ensure this information is available to everyone. All profits from the sale of the books goes to support the great work of Dementia Ireland, Empowering Communities.
Melting Moments has been featured in many newspapers, radio and RTE magazine. It is available in all public libraries throughout the country, stockists & distributors, book shops and online at buythebook.ie and will soon be stocked in Dunnes Stores.

Aim of Initiative

Aims:
1. To offer an educational resource to explain dementia to children
2. To offer comfort and understanding for those impacted by dementia.
3. Help people living with dementia and their families to maintain meaningful relationships
4. Help reduce the stigma around dementia by educating children from a young age about the disease
5. Encouraging open conversations about dementia and the complex feelings it can stir up in people living with dementia and their families
6. Make this resource easily available and accessible to everyone
7. To help create a more understanding and supportive community for those living with dementia
8. Have the book available in all languages worldwide

Who is it aimed at

1. Children aged 4-12
2. Those living with dementia and their families
3. Educators
4. Communities-to open conversations about this important topic and to create are more understanding and supportive community for those living with dementia and their families.

3 Steps critical to success

1. 1. Sales & marketing & promotion
   2. Stocking & distribution of books
   3. Getting books into many shops & libraries
   Working with Dunnes Stores at the moment
2. 1. Project to get books into all schools nationwide
   2. Translate book into other languages
   3. Get book recognised as a primary resource
3. 1. Open conversations about dementia to reduce stigma and encourage support and understanding in media, social media, radio, RTE magazine, newspapers, journals etc.
   2. Encourage community organisations and groups to use the resource and continue to promote

3 Challenges in Planning / Delivery

1. Finances:

   1. Translations
   2. Printing
   3. Distribution
   4. Marketing & promotion

2. Community support:

   1. promotion of book
   2. circulation of books within the community
   3. support from recognised community organisations

3. Engagement

   1. Community
   2. Media
   3. organisations, conventions, conferences

3 Outcomes / Benefits

1. Melting Moments to be used as a well known primary educational resource to explain dementia to children.

   Book available in all primary schools nationwide including all Gaelscoils as Gaeilge.

2. Books available with stockists, distributors, book shops, libraries.

   Make book available in many languages worldwide

   Make book easily available and accessible to everyone needing support.

3. Open conversations about dementia within the community to reduce stigma

   Open conversations about the complex feelings dementia can stir up in those living with dementia and their family members.

   Offer support & understanding to those living with dementia

   Support people living with dementia to continue meaningful relationships