What's Bill Up To?
Bill Yeates lives incredibly well with dementia. He recently:
- joined the Board of MADEC Ltd
- was interviewed by Dementia Connections (Canada), Compass (EPOA) and Channel 9 (news).
- presented at a conference in Poland, Sydney Dementia Network Symposium, Hammond Care's staff development session, & Royal Motor Yacht Club (Pittwater)
- raised funds (fundraiser for Race Against Dementia, and raised over $50K for charity via the Ocean Rockpool Tour)
- competed in several surf lifesaving & Masters swimming events (including national competitions)
- made a documentary about his journey.
…… and that's just in the first half of 2024. Way to go, Bill!
“an inspiring team” - Dementia Australia
Although Bill aims to inspire people with dementia to live well, we find there are just as many people without dementia who are equally inspired as he generously shares his personal challenges and successes in “Life with Dementia” sessions.
You can find more info about Bill here or at the bottom of this page.
HammondCare Fundraiser -Bill's Walk the Talk Adventure (June 2024)
Bill is planning to attend the unconventional Walking the Talk for Dementia (WTD) conference in Spain this August. WTD brings together an exceptionally diverse range of people committed to making real changes in the dementia sphere. Bill says, “I want to change the narrative of dementia and show that people living with dementia can enjoy fulfilling lives and contribute to the global movement of raising awareness to reduce dementia stigma.”
Marie Alford (Head of Dementia Professional Services, HammondCare) says Bill is a “legendary human, he's a consultant within our Dementia Support Australia team, and also, a person living with early onset dementia…. Bill will be the first male Australian living with dementia to attend this novel and daring event … he doesn’t want to just walk the Camino, his personal goal is to RUN the entire thing: 40km over 4 days!"
HammondCare is helping Bill to reach his inspiring personal goal by calling for community support to raise $8,000 to cover Bill’s travel costs.
If you'd like to help Bill get to Spain, you can donate here (look for the dropdown box under “Put my donation towards”, which says, “Bill's Walking the Talk for Dementia”).
Race Against Dementia writes about Bill's journey (May 2024)
We're delighted to see that the concept of living well with dementia, and our inspirational friend Bill Yeates, were included in an article by Race Against Dementia.
Kay said, “Bill has the passion of Ferrari, ingenuity of Lotus, quality of Mercedes and generosity like no other. He loves his family, is a great friend, contributes to community, is highly resilient & embodies the concept of living well with dementia”.
Australian Surf Lifesaving Titles (April 2024)
Bill reached a 2-yr goal when he competed in the Australian Surf Lifesaving Titles Over 50s Champion Lifesaver Event at the Sunshine Coast in Queensland.
"Although I placed 9th, the joy of realising my long-held goal far outweighed any disappointment", said Bill.
“The enduring lesson lies in my favourite leaf on my Tree, ‘just keep swimming’. It encapsulates the essence of perseverance and resilience amidst life's challenges. Goals are set, obstacles encountered, but it's the resolve to persist that truly defines our journey".
Celebrating 4-yrs of Bill's Tree (Dementia Connections, Canada)
Dementia Connections (Canada) shares stories of lived experience & evidence-informed approaches to living well with dementia.
It was wonderful to see Dementia Connections celebrate Bill's 4-yr milestone on 14th April 2024.
Which milestone? The creation of Bill's Tree of Awakening Your Positivity.
See the Dementia Connections social media post here.
Bill's personal reflection on his the creation of his Tree of Awakening Your Positivity is here.
Raising Awareness and Funds for Dementia Research (March 2024)
Bill & Kay presented to a highly engaged audience at the RMYC (Pittwater), sponsored by RMYC, AWMarine Sales, Awakening Your Positivity and Kay Hughes Music raising much-needed funds for the Race Against Dementia - Dementia Australia Research Fellowship.
Speaker at HammondCare Staff Development Session (March 2024)
Bill spoke at a HammondCare Staff Development Session about living life better after diagnosis.
Bill shared his Tree Of Awakening Your Positivity which he designed to help him manage his diagnosis on a daily basis. Bill's Tree targets four aspects of self: Body, Mind, Heart and Soul.
Head of Dementia Support Australia (HammondCare) Marie Alford congratulated Bill, saying "We love the tree! And your challenge to live life better - which we all took away".
Keep up the great work, Bill - your rich, practical concepts are inspiring so many people to live life better.
Interview - Elder Abuse Action Australia (March 2024)
Bill was interviewed about Enduring Power of Attorney (EPOA) and people living with dementia.
He drew from his personal experiences with an EPOA, the importance of understanding what 'capacity' means and what personal characteristics need to be considered when you are deciding who you want to take up the EPOA on your behalf.
The podcast will be available in May 2024.
Sydney Dementia Network Symposium (March 2024)
Bill's presentation, ‘Taking Charge of your own Journey’, was well received, but the real highlight for him was being part of a panel that discussed whether our Health System is prepared for the introduction of Mabs (monoclonal antibodies).
Bill added, "As someone living with dementia, where it's rare to be included in such discussions, I really appreciated the opportunity extended to me by the Brain and Mind Centre at The University of Sydney to have a voice. From my perspective, people with lived experience bring to the table a unique collection of first-hand knowledge and experience. This I believe is important for any organisation seeking to gain a deeper understanding of the needs and challenges that are being faced by people living with dementia"
C-STAM on Channel Nine News (March 2024)
Bill was on Channel 9 News about a new computerised tool where people living with dementia and their carers can keep a daily record of their ability to perform everyday activities (e.g. managing medications, finances, shopping, etc), using C-STAM, developed with the input of an advisory group of people living with dementia (of which Bill was a member).
NSW State Champion Lifesaver (March 2024)
Bill’s resilience was in play when he competed in all four physical events (Sprint, Surf Race, Board Race and Tube Race) at the NSW State Champion Lifesaver event at Freshwater Beach.
His 3rd placing makes him first reserve for NSW in the Australian Finals next month on the Sunshine Coast.
Only two weeks ago, Bill had to pull out of the Northern Beaches Branch Champion Lifesaver Competition because the surf was beyond the limits of his ability.
Bill says, “It’s okay if you do not achieve your goals on the first attempt, but the important thing is to get up and give it another go!”
Well done, Bill – you really do just keep swimming.
Australian Masters Finswimming Championships (Feb 2024)
Bill was extremely happy with his performance. All of his times were PB’s (personal bests) and he qualified to compete in the next World Finswimming Championships.
For Bill, participation in sport isn't just about being competitive, it's also about connecting with other people. Bill says, “whether it's cheering for a teammate, competing to the best of your ability, sharing a post-game meal, or bonding over a shared love for your sport, I find that being involved and participating in sport brings people together. Beyond the physical benefits, it fosters friendships, builds communities, and creates lasting memories.”
Congratulations, Bill – you’re a powerhouse!
NSW Branch Champion Lifesaver Competition (Feb 2024)
Bill successfully competed in the 100-metre beach run – quite a feat, given he has been re-learning how to run.
He withdrew from the ocean events as he considered the surf conditions to be too challenging and beyond his limits.
Amidst this, Bill found an opportunity to shed light on a lesser known aspect of Alzheimer’s Disease; decline in motor function.
Most people would say that Alzheimer’s affects your cognitive function, in particular your memory and ability to perform daily tasks.
However Bill found that Alzheimer’s also affected his balance, coordination, reflex actions and proprioception, especially when competing in surf lifesaving events. So with this in mind and having accepted his limitations, Bill decided to withdraw from the events and cheer on the young competitors that he and his twin brother coach.
Bill made another documentary (Feb 2024)
Last year, Bill entered his short documentary about his journey with dementia in the Focus on Ability Film Festival. He received highly positive and encouraging feedback and felt there was a real need to continue using this medium to show others living with dementia that it is possible to live a better life.
Bill has entered another documentary into the World Health Organisation (WHO) Health for All Film Festival, under the category of Better Health and Well-being, entitled ‘Move More, Live Life Better'.
Watch this space - we'll provide a link when it's ready to share!
Ocean Rockpool Tour Raised $50K for Charities (Jan 2024)
Bill is a member of the Organising Committee for the 2024 Ocean Rockpool Tour on the Northern Beaches which raised $50K in January 2024 for four charities - GOTCHA4LIFE, Lifeline, Vinnies and HammondCare (The Dementia Centre).
More About Bill
In August 2019, Bill Yeates was diagnosed with Younger Onset Alzheimer's Disease. While working out how to make the most of life with dementia, Bill developed his Tree of Awakening Your Positivity.
Besides being a volunteer surf lifesaver, Bill competes in masters Swimming, Finswimming, Pool Rescue and Surf Lifesaving Championships internationally. In 2023, Bill travelled to Fiji and competed in his first ever ocean swim.
He was Vice Chair of Dementia Alliance International, and is a member of Dementia Australia's Advocate Program, the World Health Organisation GDO KE Focus Group, and the Global Review Panel for ADI Accreditation of dementia care.
Bill recently accepted the position of Living Experience Consultant with Dementia Support Australia, and presents Enjoy Life With Dementia sessions with Kay Hughes.