The Heartbreaking Visuals that Depict the Painful Journey of a Mother's Deterioration Due to Dementia

Helen Rimell, a professional photographer, has been grieving for her mother Susan since she was diagnosed with early onset vascular dementia in 2015. Two years ago, Helen moved back to south Wales from London to become her mother's full-time carer. She has been capturing her mother's decline through a personal project titled No Longer Here, which includes images of everyday life at home in Llantwit Major, Vale of Glamorgan. The photographs recently won a grant from the Bob and Diane fund, which supports visual storytellers focusing on Alzheimer's and dementia. Helen and her mother have always been very close, and Helen sees this project as a way to process her grief and loss. Susan's progression of dementia initially seemed slow, but with the arrival of Covid in 2020, Helen noticed a significant decline in her mother's condition. Susan could no longer recognize places, got lost outside the house, and would sometimes be brought back by police officers. Helen moved back home to care for her mother herself in September 2021. The caregiving has been mentally, emotionally, and physically challenging, and Susan went through a period of aggression and violence. Despite the difficulties, Helen has no regrets and wants to return the love her mother has given her.