‘Hidden disease’: Peter Alexander shares three-year agony

Pyjama king Peter Alexander reveals why a devastating and cruel disease that rocked his family must no longer be “hidden under the cover”. Listen to his story.

Pyjama king Peter Alexander knows first-hand the devastating effects of dementia.

His mother Julette — who he credits with helping turn his sleepwear label global — died in November after a three-year battle with the debilitating condition.

“My mother and I were extremely close. Every day we worked together, she started the brand with me and we lived around the corner from each other,” Mr Alexander said.

“She even used to play scrabble all the time and read to keep her brain active. But when she was in her late 70s we started to notice her personality changes.

“She would get very emotional over things that were minor and even began knocking on her neighbours door in the middle of the night not knowing where she was.”

Peter Alexander lost his Mum Julette to dementia recently. Picture: Instagram

Peter Alexander’s mum Julette. Picture: Instagram

Mr Alexander says his mother’s condition, which runs in the family, deteriorated rapidly and took away her “human dignity” towards the end of her life.

“Watching your mother decline into a child where she went from an intelligent woman to watching cartoons, not being able to communicate and wearing adult diapers is difficult,” he said.

“It affects the whole family. Watching someone who looked after you and now having to switch roles … it’s a very cruel disease.

“My mum always used to say to me if I ever get dementia, kill me (through euthanasia).”

Sleepwear designer Peter Alexander and his mum Julette, and their dogs Midge and Butch. Picture: Alex Coppel

LISTEN TO PETER ALEXANDER’S STORY

Mr Alexander said the disease deserved “more public awareness”, instead of being “hidden under the cover”.

“It’s one of the most prevalent diseases and with an ageing community in Australia, it’s only going to continue to grow,” he said.

“But unlike other conditions, it’s not something you can sit around and fight it. All we can do is raise awareness and try to delay it as much as possible.”

Peter Alexander with his late mum Julette, who had dementia. He says the “very cruel disease” deserves “more public awareness”. Picture: Supplied

And while the death of Mr Alexander’s “other half” is still raw, he hopes to use his mother’s death to become and advocate and create change for people with dementia.

“To me personally, the only blessing with dementia is I got to say a long goodbye to her over the last three years,” he said.

“Once she passed away it felt like a burden off my shoulders because my mother was now free.

“Because that wasn’t her in the last six months. She was just a body lying there.

“I really thought I would crumble but in fact, I just think I got stronger when she died.”

Originally published as ‘Hidden disease’: Peter Alexander shares three-year agony