Our Dad&Dolly Journey
Four years ago, I was a 41-year old healthcare PR executive with the busy lifestyle typical of a single, professional woman working in London, living by myself with my two Pomeranians Dolly and Nicky. But life was about to change in ways I couldn't have imagined.
December 2020 – The first signs of change.
I began to notice subtle but worrying changes in my dad. His memory was slipping, and everyday tasks were becoming increasingly difficult. He was struggling to complete his tax return, had lost a significant amount of weight, his handwriting had become messy and strange, and he was forgetting to take his medications. To make matters worse, he was falling victim to scammers.
April 2021 – Preparing for our new reality.
Dad was living with a long-term partner for many years, but due to health reasons she has to move back to her home country to be with her children. This left dad living alone with his memory slowly getting worse, I knew I had to start caring for him, so I started to look for a place for him to live closer to me which would allow him to maintain his independence but with daily support from me. As luck would have it, the flat next door to me was coming up for rent!
June 2021 - Dad moves in next door and Dolly goes to live with Dad.
Knowing that social isolation is damaging for older people, and that we needed to take steps to keep his brain healthy, I thought it would be good if one of my two Pomeranian dogs, Dolly, went to live with him, both for companionship and so he could retain some responsibility and routine. They quickly strike up a loving bond. Their relationship and antics touch and amuse me so much that I start videoing them together to send to family and friends.
September 2022- I start to chronicle life with Dad and Dolly on Instagram.
Dad&Dolly started because I wanted to document my journey of caring for my dad, and raise awareness of supporting and caring for elder family members in a positive, fun, heartwarming and engaging way. I thought it might help encourage people to connect with and celebrate the elder people in their lives, and highlight the importance and benefits of companionship and intergenerational connection in later life.
February 2023 – I quit my day job.
Finding it increasingly difficult to balance my intense and stressful job and care for my dad properly as his memory declined, I decided to turn my predicament into an opportunity that could help others. I had some savings, so I gave up my job entirely to focus on building an online business (Eldering) that would allow me the flexibility to care for Dad and also help others.
March 2023 – Dad&Dolly go viral
I set up a TikTok account for Dad and Dolly and the next thing I know Dad&Dolly are going viral and people are going wild about Dad’s clothes and fashion sense.
June 2023 – Dad is diagnosed with mild Alzheimer’s.
Dad’s diagnosis makes me even more determined to make these next few years as good as I can for him and keep his brain as healthy and stimulated as possible.
August 2023 – An idea for a project we can do together is hatched.
After a few viral TikTok videos, Dad and Dolly have started growing a big following and our story is resonating deeply with people. More and more people are commenting and messaging me a lot about Dad’s style and outfits. Sorting through some old boxes, we come across my dad’s college t- shirt from 60 years ago and the idea for co-designing ‘Dad-style’ t-shirts to celebrate older people and bring a sense of pride, value and joy to my father through the challenge of dementia was planted in my mind.
January 2024 – Social media all gets a bit overwhelming
The Dodo shares a story about Dad&Dolly on Instagram and I start getting overwhelmed with all the messages I receive. Caring takes up a lot of time and I didn’t want Dad&Dolly to be so consuming that I ended up spending too much time on it and not enough time with Dad, so decided to narrow my focus, quit TikTok and just use Instagram to share our stories.
July 2024 – From concept to creation
After a lot of thinking, brainstorming, and sketching out ideas together about the t-shirts we want to do – I decide to stop procrastinating, take another leap into the unknown and start actually putting our ideas into action to launch our t-shirt collection. All the designs are inspired by and co-developed with my father (he is involved in and signs off on the designs and would genuinely want to wear them) and I appoint him as ‘Chief Creative Officer’.
October 2024 – Launch of ‘Legends’
With a great deal of trepidation, we launch our first ‘Legends’ collection. Caring for Dad has transformed my life in ways I never anticipated. Through Dad&Dolly, I’ve found a way to balance caregiving with creativity, turning a situation that many perceive as a burden that ‘puts your life on hold’ into a beautiful journey of connection, purpose, and love. It empowers me to prioritise what matters most to me - my dad's wellbeing - making him feel valued and included, while also ensuring I can sustain my financial wellbeing in a way that aligns with my values. The modern world often overlooks older people, and it saddens me to see so many of them lonely and neglected. I hope Dad&Dolly inspires others to cherish their older loved ones and reminds the world that true style—and true connection—is not limited by age. The future remains uncertain, but one thing is clear: our journey is far from over, and we have many more chapters to write.