No guilt: Ruth’s rally cry to NI dementia carers
Loose Women star, author and long‑standing Alzheimer’s Society Ambassador Ruth Langsford has spoken about the heart‑breaking emotions dementia carers often share with her at Alzheimer’s Society’s annual Memory Walk.
Twelve Memory Walks will take place across the UK from mid‑September, including at Belfast’s Ormeau Park. The event raises vital funds for Alzheimer’s Society, the UK’s leading dementia support and research charity.
Ruth has been an ambassador for 17 years and has met countless families affected by dementia at Memory Walk, which she attends every year. This autumn, she will be supporting London Memory Walk.
She recently discussed her own family’s experience of dementia with presenter Fearne Cotton on the Happy Place podcast, speaking candidly about caring for her mother, Joan, and her late father, Dennis, both of whom were diagnosed with dementia.
One of the most common feelings carers share with her at Memory Walk, Ruth said, is guilt - particularly around the decision to move a loved one into a care home when their needs can no longer be safely met at home. She believes carers should never blame themselves for a decision made out of love.
She says: “I take part in Memory Walk every year and chat to lots of people. The one thing people talk about the most is feeling bad that their loved one is in a care home, and I always say, ‘Don’t.’ It’s done with love. You’re doing this with love.
“You want them to be completely comfortable, safe and cared for. Alongside all the deliberation and trying to come to terms with this difficult decision, you’re also slowly losing that person.
"They’re still there, but often they’re no longer recognisable in terms of their personality.”
Ruth continues to speak openly about dementia to help others feel less alone. “By talking about dementia openly, going to events, writing about it in my book and speaking to people at Memory Walk, you hope you can plant little seeds and help people learn something. Everything is about awareness.”
Memory Walk brings together people affected by dementia to remember loved ones, celebrate their lives and show support for everyone impacted by the condition.
Corrine Mills, Alzheimer’s Society deputy CEO, said: “We are grateful to Ruth for shining a light on what so many families across the UK are experiencing. A dementia diagnosis can be overwhelming, but no one should face it alone.”
Nearly one million people in the UK are living with dementia. Alzheimer’s Society provides vital support, funds groundbreaking research and campaigns to make dementia a national priority.
Memory Walks are free, inclusive and family‑friendly, with routes from 2km to 10km - and dogs are welcome. People can also organise their own 2026 Memory Walk and will receive a fundraising pack and T‑shirt.
Alzheimer’s Society is urging people across Northern Ireland to sign up for Belfast’s Ormeau Park Memory Walk on Saturday, September 26, or organise their own event.
l To get involved, visit memorywalk.org.uk