Norma Howard, from Church Crookham, England, is a regular participant in the everyoneACTIVE group at Hart Leisure Centre. In fact some years ago Norma swam the equivalent of the English Channel – not once but twice – in the Hart Leisure Centre pool.

In two weeks’ time, on 10th May, 2018, Norma is setting her sights higher….. 500 feet higher to be exact! She is planning to wing walk – yes, walking on the top wing of a biplane flying above an airfield in Cirencester (a town in east Gloucestershire, England, 93 miles west northwest of London) – to raise money for those living Dementia both in the U.K. for her local charity, and in the U.S., for the Dementia Society.

For most of us that would be daunting in itself – but Norma is an amazing 91 years young! She will set a new record for the oldest female wing walker. She will be flying at 150 mph atop a 1940 Boeing Stearman biplanes, run by the renowned aerobatics team www.aerosuperbatics.com. Her son asked her what led her to attempt this stunt. “Well I heard of the record being set last year by an 88 year old, and thought to myself ‘why not?’”.

Being in public with a loved one who lives with some form of Dementia can be stressful for the care partner if that person suddenly starts to express themselves in a way which others find out of the norm. Hey, it can happen, it's life, and it's okay. But, if Uncle Ned starts to take off his clothes in a shopping mall, or your wife, Alice, falsely accuses a stranger of stealing, what do you do? Worse yet, many businesses interfacing with their customers don’t understand the special needs of those living with Dementia, and instead of being supportive, may firmly ask them to ...