John Morris

I wrote 'I Remember When They Taught Cows to Talk' from my position as sole carer for my father, who was diagnosed with dementia in 2015.

I thought there was a gap in the market for an extremely short guide highlighting essential processes for carers of people with dementia. Having read a few books on caring for those with dementia, I discovered that I really wanted to read an account that was shorter, easier to read and more to the point. I made it my goal to write such a book.

It covers the fundamentals of dementia care based on my personal experiences. I had to familiarise myself with all the associated administrative aspects from applying for lasting power of attorney to financing his stay in a care home. I detail disturbing, but also gripping, incidents such as my father escaping at night or nearly setting the house on fire. I describe ways to deal with such problems so that others can pre-empt them and lessen the likelihood of potentially dangerous situations occurring. I also include plenty of useful tips on managing personal care and behaviour that worked very well for us, some of which had not been seen by social workers previously.

As I think my book would work well as a first port of call for carers I have included plenty of links to websites in the endnotes so topics can be explored further. They are also available as QR codes to make it easier for those reading a paper copy.

The title of this book is taken directly from something my father said. As the dementia started to take hold his vocabulary diminished and in his attempts to communicate he would create new words to fill the void. I include some of his surreal wordplay in the book as they are used as the chapter titles. I feel this approach gives the book a unique quirkiness and means the book is as much my father’s as it is my own.