Sea Tempo at Narrabeen Beach Surf Club (May 2026)
Kay partners with Steve McIness (Northern Beaches) in the playful acoustic duo, Sea Tempo, which recently performed at Narrabeen Surf Club.
More on our Sea Tempo page.
Music with Ray (Avalon Beach, April 2026)
Dinner guests at a local Avalon home were treated to a very special music performance from Kay and Ray (a well known musician who frequently performs at Avalon's Yorkshire Rose, Bookoccino and Love Food).
A delightful time was had by all!
Kay enjoyed time with her Dad (March 2026)
Kay enjoyed lunch with her Dad, who has dementia.
“He is most relaxed in a familiar place, with just one or two visitors at a time”, said Kay, “we spend time in a quiet place so he can easily hear what's being said”.
Beautiful.
Music with Ray (Royal Motor Yacht Club, Feb 2026)
Ray was invited to play his wonderful music on a luxury Integrity boat at the Royal Motor Yacht Club.
Kay was asked to sing while Ray played, so of course she said “yes!”
The host said, “Ray is the best guitar player I have ever heard”, and “everyone who attended throroughly enjoyed the music ”
Sea Tempo (Sydney, January 2026)
Sea Tempo (Steve & Kay) held their first session for 2026 at the Northern Beaches in Sydney, with great engagement and active participation from everyone who attended.
Celebrating 2026 with family & friends in Rarotonga
Catching up with Friends-in-Music in Sydney (Dec 2025)
It was a treat for Kay to catch up with with some friends-in-music in Sydney recently.
“When we play music together, we express beauty, harmony and connection in-the-moment. It's incredibly uplifting”, she said, “I look forward to sharing more music with friends in 2026”.
Pictured (right): Robyn Wells, Kay Hughes & Graham Spindler
Meeting with Dementia Adventure CEO in London, UK (Dec 2025)
Bill & Kay have kept in touch with Fiona Petit (from Dementia Adventure) since 2024 after connecting with her at Walking the Talk for Dementia in Spain.
Kay said, “Dementia Adventure focuses on engaging people living with dementia in outdoor activities, which resonates well with us. We look forward to seeing its continued success”.
Alzheimer's Disease International End of Year Forecast (UK, Dec 2025)
While in London, Bill & Kay went to Edelman HQ for the Alzheimer's Disease International (ADI) 2025 Forecast.
The session explored dementia diagnostics, featuring a conversation between Paola Barbarino (ADI CEO) and Dr Alireza Atri (cognitive neurologist, clinical researcher, and educator).
Bill was elected as a Board member of ADI in 2025 and quickly became a solid contributor.
Right: Dr Alireza Atri, Paola Barbarino, Bill Yeates & Dr Ameenah Sorefan
Meeting with Race Against Dementia in London (Dec 2025)
Mollie Huggins from Race Against Dementia met with Bill & Kay (who are founding members of Race Against Dementia's Ignition Fund Lived Experience Review Panel and were key contributors to the review process for Ignition Fund Applications in 2024 & 2025).
Kay said, “Race Against Dementia's application of the Formula 1 mindset to dementia research is an incredible gift to the world. We feel privileged to contribute, albeit in a small way”.
Left: Mollie Huggins, Kay & Bill
Meeting with The Geller Institute of Ageing and Memory (Dec 2025)
Bill & Kay met with the team at The Geller Institute of Ageing and Memory (GIAM) to explore priorities and future directions in dementia research and education.
GIAM's Dr Federica D'Andrea said, "It was such a pleasure to welcome Bill & Kay in person and take the time to discuss our vision, projects, and future collaborations. Their insights, energy, and dedication are making a real impact in the dementia field, and I’m really looking forward to working together”
Pictured (right) Dr Federica D’Andrea, Dr Snorri Bjorn Rafnsson, Bill Yeates, Kay Hughes, Professor Katie Featherstone, Professor Juanita Hoe
Sharing Music & Stories in Scotland & London (Dec 2025)
Bill & Kay's sessions: high engagement, exceptionally positive feedback.
Scotland Meeting Centres CEO Graham Galloway arranged for Bill & Kay to present sessions in Scotland & London
“There are deep connections to themes in our songs and stories”, said Kay. “Our storylines bring unspoken challenges for care partners to light. Staff enter our experience in a whole new way - emotion coupled with story. And many who live with dementia, despite never hearing our music before, learn to sing choruses, or engage by humming, clapping, tapping their feet or fingers with the rhythm”.
London host (Brenda) said Bill & Kay's presentations were enlightening, beautiful. and very much appreciated.
Bill and Kay enjoyed connecting with participants in Scotland & London and hope to arrange another mini-tour within the next couple of years.
Scotland mini-tour to honor Ron Coleman (Dec 2025)
Post written by Bill Yeates
This week, Kay Hughes and I travelled to Dundee, Scotland to honor the life of our friend, Ron Coleman. We first met Ron last year during the 2024 Walking the Talk for Dementia, and from that moment, it was clear that he was someone extraordinary - a powerful voice and a relentless advocate - a man determined to fight for the rights of those living with dementia.
Ron's legacy lives on through the Meeting Centres he helped establish across Scotland with his great friend Graham Galloway. These are places where people living with dementia can connect with each other and thrive. As a tribute to his work, Kay and I visited four of them - Kirriemuir, Arbroath, Methil and St Andrews, and gave a presentation at each in his honor. While in Kirriemuir, we also attended a screening of his documentary, 'The Demented Poet' - a raw and powerful testament to Ron's spirit, determination and strong sense of purpose.
I also carried with me a bottle of 'Cloudy Bay Chardonnay' - a promise I had made with Ron in May this year, that the next time I was in Dundee that I would share a glass of his favorite wine with him. I have now passed this onto his wife, Karen, to share their family during Christmas.
Ron - thank you for walking alongside us, challenging all who are living with dementia and reminding us to 'Just Keep Swimming'.
A huge thankyou to Graham Galloway (CEO of Meeting Centres Scotland) for arranging our Scotland mini-tour & encore session in London.
Book Launch (including Bill's story) in Ireland, Dec 2025
“Stories of People Living with Long-Term Conditions” from Duygu Sezgin & Deidre Fitzgerald (editors) 2025, was launched at the University of Galway (Ireland).
Chapter 3, Young Onset Dementia, tells Bill's story. Bill said, “It is an honour to have my journey with dementia included in this publication”, adding that sharing his story is about more than raising awareness about dementia, "it’s also about reducing stigma and helping shift the narrative from one of loss to one of hope.”
Deidre Fitzgerald said Bill's story “undoubtedly will inspire all who read it!”
Laurie Waters (co-founder of Walk the Talk for Dementia) said Bill is helping to change the way people living with young-onset dementia are treated, saying “it is so important that the world understands when we are diagnosed early we still can have a meaningful life.”
Way to go Bill - we admire the incredible contributions you continue to make.
Link to book here.
Impromptu Pub Choir at Yorkshire Rose, Avalon Beach (Nov 2025)
Connecting with Advocates on the Northern Beaches (Nov 2025)
Article for Dementia Awareness Week (Sep 2025)
During Dementia Awareness Week, Kay reflected on a recent meeting with Sir Jackie Stewart in Melbourne.
“Your stories should be told to more people with dementia and their families”, said Sir Jackie, “to bring hope, to help them to make the most of life”.
See the full article here
..... with Dementia Australia Ambassadors (8th Sep 2025)
NSW Ministry of Health Executives and staff were treated to high quality presentations from Bill Yeates, Amanda Wyzenbeek, Jessica Redmayne and country music legend Adam Harvey who performed Remember Me (which he wrote about his Mum).
They were also moved by Kay's story, which included two songs (The Man She Married and Invisible), and were challenged by her question, “to what extent is it reasonable for people like me – care partners – to put our wellbeing at risk in order to support those we love to enjoy life at home?”
Adam Harvey, Kay Hughes & Jessica Redmayne
Celebrating Father's Day
Large gatherings on special occasions don't work so well for my Dad,, who has hearing loss and dementia.
We got together the day before Father's Day, enjoying a meaningful chat in a peaceful courtyard, warmed by gentle sunshine.
Dad was exceptionally happy, feeling free to launch into songs from My Fair Lady.
What a delight!
Dementia Awareness Month - Modifiable Risk Factors (Sep 2025)
Private Story & Song Sessions in Canada (August 2025)
Hughes Family Cottage in Canada - built by Richard's parents in 1949. In private sessions we celebrated "everything we love about Richard in the place he loves most"
Kay shared stories, songs and artworks in private sessions at the Hughes cottage in Canada.
“This is Richard's favourite place ”, Kay said, “and we shared many special experiences here. It was time to celebrate everything we love about Richard in the place that he loves most. Although he can no longer travel (and couldn't make the trip from Australia), it felt like part of him was here with us".
Kay's stories, songs and artworks were initially inspired by Richard, and strongly encouraged by organisations such as Race Against Dementia, Walking the Talk for Dementia and Dementia Australia.
New Animations for some of Our Favourite Songs (May - Sept 2025)
We finished new animations for Bilndfold, The Man She Married, Invisible and Dementia Blues.
Click the song to hear & see the story.
Let us know what you think!
SBS Insight - Episode 6, "Challenging Resilience" - (April 2025)
Kay told her story on “Challenging Resilience” (SBS Insight, episode 6). She enjoyed getting to know Ivan Clarke, Adele Auva'a and Vicki Boler while preparing for the show, saying, “it was a privilege to share different perspectives on resilience with others who have deep life experience”.
SBS's inclusion of a carer perspective in this episode was, according to Kay, “a huge step forward. Previously, in our caring role, we were overlooked, we felt invisible. Now we start to be seen, and for that I'm incredibly grateful”.
You can watch the full Episode 6 of Insight 2025 on SBS (on demand).
Mamamia chatted with Kay about love (April 2025)
Ailish Delaney from Mamamia spoke to Kay about the multitude of changes experienced for those in a close personal relationship with someone who has dementia, including how Kay's relationship with her husband (Richard) changed dramatically. “I still love him - but the way I love him has changed”, Kay said.
Kay also spoke candidly about the support she received from Richard's daughters when the opportunity to explore a new love relationship emerged. "I emailed his daughters, asking how they might feel if I explored a relationship with someone else while continuing to love and support their dad. They said things like, 'You have all our support and all our full blessing. We want you to be happy. We can only imagine how hard that was to write and we applaud you for your honesty.' That, coming from stepdaughters, is incredible."
Support from Richard's daughters, during this time, became Kay's anchor, silencing any outside noise and judgment.