Fiona Phillips struggles with dementia like Dad did – my activities might help
An award-winning innovator from Kent has offered her support to Good Morning TV’s Fiona Phillips and her husband – and suggested her dementia-inspired activities might help Fiona and her family.
Sharon Daltrey, 64, developed Timeless Presents, a social enterprise that designs activities for those living with dementia.
A recent interview with TV producer Martin Frizell, husband of presenter Fiona Phillips, brought back challenging memories for Sharon. In the interview, Martin described a 35-minute taxi ride in which his wife Fiona, who has Alzheimer’s, asked the same question 72 times: “Where are we going?”
Sharon said: “My dad Brian lived with Alzheimer’s for 17 years. That experience gave me a new perspective — to try to see things through his eyes.
“When someone with dementia asks ‘Where am I going?’ 72 times, it does feel frustrating and heartbreaking, every time. But for them, it’s a fresh experience of fear or uncertainty — 72 times in 35 minutes. That’s 72 bids for safety from their confusion. Not just ‘Where am I going?’ but ‘Am I safe? Am I still with someone I trust? Will you help me make sense of this world?’
“I know the frustration, the helplessness. I fell into the same traps again and again — trying to reason, correcting, hoping something would stick. It’s exhausting. It hurts to keep showing up when it feels like nothing gets through.
“But something shifted for me one day, when I saw my dad react to the spring blossom outside. He looked at it as though seeing it for the first time — and maybe he was. In that moment, I realised I didn’t have to try to bring him back. I could try and meet him where he was, and maybe it could benefit us both.
“Knowing what I do now, if I were faced with the same situation as Fiona’s husband, I would make a game of it. I might say we’re going on an adventure, ask them where they’d like to go, or sing a song together.
“So if you’re facing this too, here’s what I’ve learned: Don’t aim to fix. Aim to meet. Let go of the need to be remembered. Focus on helping them feel safe and validated right now. Use songs, rhythm, or playfulness — not to distract, but to connect. And remember: even when nothing seems to work, just showing up still counts.”
Sharon’s experience with her father led to her co-creating Timeless Presents with her husband Chris. Together, they design dementia-inclusive activities that support connection and dignity in late-stage care. Their products have been recognised with a national innovation award, are accredited, used in NHS facilities, and stocked by the Alzheimer’s Society’s online shop.
Timeless Presents’ first innovation was a seaside puzzle that encourages participation between those who live with dementia and their carers. The seaside image is intended to stimulate conversation about cherished childhood memories of days at the beach.
Other activities developed by Timeless Presents include a curiosity box, which contains several small items for independent exploration, and an adult colouring book that is designed to retain the user’s dignity.
Sharon and Chris’s enterprise was awarded the Dementia Care Innovator Award at the Dementia Care Awards 2024 in June 2024. Their activities have all earned accreditation from the Dementia Services Development Centre (DSDC) at Stirling University, which officially validates Timeless Presents’ commitment to excellence in dementia care.