It's good to talk

I was sorry to read that Bob Hoskins was suffering from Parkinsons disease. The Long Good Friday is one of my favourite all time movies. Bob played gangster Harold Shand. The character was a major inspiration for my villain Bernie Doyle, in my novel Money Death & Curry.

My dad had Parkinsons and sadly it robbed him of most of his body apart from his mind which he retained till the end.

It was Bob who told us in the BT commercials of the 1980's that it was good to talk. I was reminded of this when I received the latest news letter from Dying Matters. They've produced a new leaflet called Time to Talk. It addresses the importance of discussing the onset of dementia and what it will mean.

I'm a firm believer that knowledge is power. The more we know about something and the more we discuss our thoughts and feelings the better. In the words of Harriet Beecher Stowe; 'The bitterest tears shed over graves are for words left unsaid and deeds left undone.'

So if there is someone you love and there is something big happening in their lives then talk about it.