Alastair Stewart: Dementia is upsetting, challenging and difficult - but it's not the end of the world

What a week it has been: both with my GB News hat on and off.

My wife Sally and I appeared on BBC Breakfast, at the invitation of an old friend, the editor, Richard Frediani. Sal and I had made a 'Day in the Life’ style film for Alzheimer's Research UK, which is one of the dementia charities we support.

The plan was to run a clip from it, and then discuss it to help others with dementia and to help people better understand the challenges it brings.

While dementia is upsetting, challenging, and difficult, it isn't the end of the world.

One in three of us will get dementia or will be directly affected by it.

We went up to Salford by train on the cross-country network which, for anyone, is a bit of a challenge. But for someone with dementia it is worse.

Getting pre-paid tickets out of the machine, navigating a crowded train and trying to make sense of electronic information boards etc, it is all a bit of an obstacle course. So too was finding the pre-ordered taxi on arrival at Manchester Piccadilly station. If it wasn’t for Sal I'd still be there…!

Sal also chooses what I wear and helps me dress before going into the studio. I can no longer put braces on properly, do my tie or knot my shoe-laces... Most of my brain is still OK as is my long-term memory. But ask me where I left my glasses? It’s not so good.

WATCH NOW: Alastair Stewart discusses living with dementia in Alzheimer's Research UK film

Fortunately I could understand and answer the questions from John Kay and Sally Nugent who were brilliant. John said from my performance, you'd never have known I had vascular dementia.

Richard was also pleased and we had a great chat. I used to present the ITN evening news for him covering elections, budgets, etc. Wonderful days.

We returned home to a lovely reaction on social media from friends, family and acquaintances. Most importantly there was an email from Angelos Frangopoulos, the CEO of GB News who said 'we are so proud of you’.

He and the rest of the channel have been amazingly supportive - and even when I'd been on a competitor channel, GB News and their team had nothing but good wishes.

There were also kind messages from many I used to work with at ITN. I also heard from Nick Pollard, now a GB News colleague, who has remained very close and had sent a lovely postcard from a family holiday.

The day after the interview I checked my bank account online as I do every day. This is not easy with dementia. Nothing involving IT, passwords, codes etc is... There was a debit which I didn't recognise. Turns out it was for the papers and water we'd bought at Winchester Station which I had forgotten about. But all’s fine now.

Staying across the news is so important to me. And it’s been another lively week. Earlier in the week I hugely enjoyed Camilla Tominey's interview with Boris Johnson. It was informative, funny and fascinating. Camilla is the best, which is why Sal and I chose her to do the initial exclusive with both of us on my dementia.

It also amused me to see how the BBC had to cancel Laura Kuenssberg's interview with Boris Johnson, it was the sort of slip-up I make all the time...

Another highlight of the week was GB News’ Political Editor Chris Hope on the Tory leadership race.

His reaction to Cleverly was brilliant and funny as he said he hadn't seen Cleverly’s fate coming. But who had!? To be able to laugh at yourself is a sign of greatness.

I am beginning to prepare for the Budget which I will be helping out with on GB News.

Speculation is just that, but it does look like a double attack on pensions which means Sally and I will be impacted. And it looks like we could see wealth creation targeted too, without which nothing can happen.

Our daughter works in private education so the attacks on the tax treatment of that sector feels very close to home.

If I'd gone into politics, which was once an ambition, I'd give tax relief to those who use some of their own money to pay for education and health. It reduces the burden on the state and enhances the notions of freedom and choice.

All our children had parts of their education in the private sector, and all are tremendous helpers in our time of need.

Not just me but with Sally too, who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Thankfully she is making great progress.

I have also been watching the situation in the Middle East closely too. I was there several years ago when the Royal Navy rather than chartered jets evacuated the brits. What’s unfolding there is frightening - and we need to keep it watching closely.