--- title: Dementia and the first death in the family — a lesson of Mova's school · trees and pragmatics description: «Dementia and the first death in the family», a lesson of the everyday course of Mova's primary school, sentence by sentence with dependency trees and pragmatics. It begins: Dementia is an illness of the brain that makes people forget, more and more over time, even the people they love; Alzheimer's --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/514-dementia-and-the-first-death-in-the-family/) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [school](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/) / [Everyday](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/) / Dementia and the first death in the fa… # Dementia and the first death in the family Lesson 514 of the everyday course of Mova's primary school: 38 sentences, each with its syntax tree and pragmatics. The lessons are written for Mova, and their agreed trees are part of Mova corpus 0.4 (CC BY-SA 4.0). How Mova does on its tests: [the lesson at school](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/school-run/everyday/514-dementia-and-the-first-death-in-the-family/). - [0](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/514-dementia-and-the-first-death-in-the-family/0/) — Dementia is an illness of the brain that makes people forget, more and more over time, even the people they love; Alzheimer's is the most common kind. - [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/514-dementia-and-the-first-death-in-the-family/2/) — Holly.» Nan smiles kindly, but doesn't know. - [3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/514-dementia-and-the-first-death-in-the-family/3/) — Dementia often wipes the newest memories first, and the oldest last, so Nan may be seeing little Sarah from forty years ago. - [4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/514-dementia-and-the-first-death-in-the-family/4/) — It is the illness, not Nan's choice, and she can still feel love even when the names are gone. - [5](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/514-dementia-and-the-first-death-in-the-family/5/) — In Edinburgh, Grandad tells Torquil the same story about the ferry three times in one visit. - [7](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/514-dementia-and-the-first-death-in-the-family/7/) — Mum gives Torquil a look. - [8](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/514-dementia-and-the-first-death-in-the-family/8/) — Pointing it out only upsets someone with dementia; listening as if it's the first time makes them happy. - [9](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/514-dementia-and-the-first-death-in-the-family/9/) — In Melbourne, Nana suddenly shouts at Lettie, «Get out, you thief, that's my purse!» Lettie runs out crying. - [10](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/514-dementia-and-the-first-death-in-the-family/10/) — Dementia can change moods too; it's the illness talking, not Nana. - [12](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/514-dementia-and-the-first-death-in-the-family/12/) — In Toronto, Marisol visits Grandma in a care home that smells of disinfectant and gravy; Grandma is sleepy, and Marisol doesn't want to go back. - [13](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/514-dementia-and-the-first-death-in-the-family/13/) — Short visits with a drawing or a song are fine. - [14](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/514-dementia-and-the-first-death-in-the-family/14/) — Then one day someone dies. - [15](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/514-dementia-and-the-first-death-in-the-family/15/) — In Bristol, Wilf goes to his first funeral for his grandad. - [17](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/514-dementia-and-the-first-death-in-the-family/17/) — People grieve in different ways and at different times; tears might come weeks later, or not at all. - [18](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/514-dementia-and-the-first-death-in-the-family/18/) — In Glasgow, Elsie didn't get to say goodbye to her granny in hospital, so she writes her a letter and leaves it on the grave. - [20](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/514-dementia-and-the-first-death-in-the-family/20/) — Finding your own way to say goodbye helps. - [21](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/514-dementia-and-the-first-death-in-the-family/21/) — Grief can be shared. - [22](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/514-dementia-and-the-first-death-in-the-family/22/) — In Ohio, after Grandpa dies, Jem's mom is sad all the time, so one Sunday he makes her breakfast in bed: burnt toast and very strong tea. - [23](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/514-dementia-and-the-first-death-in-the-family/23/) — She cries, then hugs him for ages. - [24](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/514-dementia-and-the-first-death-in-the-family/24/) — In Birmingham, Aziza's Nani dies in Pakistan. - [25](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/514-dementia-and-the-first-death-in-the-family/25/) — The funeral happens the next day, as Muslim funerals usually happen very quickly, and the family can't travel in time. - [27](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/514-dementia-and-the-first-death-in-the-family/27/) — In Cork, at Granda's wake (a gathering at home to remember the person, often with the coffin there), people tell funny stories: «He was some craic» (Irish for great fun). - [28](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/514-dementia-and-the-first-death-in-the-family/28/) — Fintan is surprised people are laughing, then laughs too. - [29](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/514-dementia-and-the-first-death-in-the-family/29/) — Laughing can be part of grieving. - [30](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/514-dementia-and-the-first-death-in-the-family/30/) — After a death, many children start to worry. - [32](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/514-dementia-and-the-first-death-in-the-family/32/) — Asking the scary question out loud is brave, and talking helps. - [33](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/514-dementia-and-the-first-death-in-the-family/33/) — Dementia is an illness of the brain that makes people forget, more and more over time; Alzheimer's disease is the most common kind. - [34](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/514-dementia-and-the-first-death-in-the-family/34/) — Dementia often affects the newest memories first, so a person may remember long ago better than this morning. - [35](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/514-dementia-and-the-first-death-in-the-family/35/) — People with dementia often repeat themselves; listening kindly is better than saying «you told me». - [36](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/514-dementia-and-the-first-death-in-the-family/36/) — Dementia can change a person's mood, making them angry or scared for no clear reason; it is the illness, not the person's choice. - [37](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/514-dementia-and-the-first-death-in-the-family/37/) — A person with dementia can still feel love and enjoy company, even when they forget names. - [38](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/514-dementia-and-the-first-death-in-the-family/38/) — Care homes can feel strange to children; short visits with a drawing or a song are fine. - [39](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/514-dementia-and-the-first-death-in-the-family/39/) — People grieve in different ways; not crying at a funeral doesn't mean you don't care. - [40](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/514-dementia-and-the-first-death-in-the-family/40/) — Grief can come and go for a long time, and it usually slowly gets easier. - [41](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/514-dementia-and-the-first-death-in-the-family/41/) — Writing a letter, looking at photos or praying can help someone say goodbye. - [42](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/514-dementia-and-the-first-death-in-the-family/42/) — When a family can't travel to a funeral, they can remember the person together at home. - [43](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/514-dementia-and-the-first-death-in-the-family/43/) — In many Muslim families the funeral and burial happen very quickly, often within a day. - [44](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/514-dementia-and-the-first-death-in-the-family/44/) — At an Irish wake people gather to remember the person, and sad and funny stories are both part of it. - ← previous: [Grandparents abroad and grandparents you never met](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/513-grandparents-abroad-and-grandparents-you-never-met/) - next →: [Mum on her own, Dad on his own](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/515-mum-on-her-own-dad-on-his-own/) - ↑ back to [Everyday](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/)