Ashley Thomas (John Middleton)

[Perdita]

Living with a person who had advanced dementia is hard. Really hard and i hope they show the impact on others with this storyline. Only today i took my dad who i care for full time to a church fair and cried on the vicars shoulder during a low moment. Dad was a lay preacher but dementia brought out a vocab in him that couldnt be shown on primetime tv. Also hitting and spitting etc. How much of this could they show on tv?

We have seen outbursts of anger already, might revisit Ashley abusing his dad again or maybe somebody else like Harriet, Laurel or maybe even Arthur

I feel for you, suzewebb, my mum was only in her early 60s when she started with this horrible illness

[Perdita]

Ashley has a blackout and stumbles during Bob's birthday hunt, leaving him helpless until he comes across a car. Later in the pub, Bob is alarmed when he realises that Ashley hasn't come back.

At the hospital, a doctor explains to Ashley that he had a mini-stroke, but he makes a hasty departure from the wards on his own. A worried Bob is about to tell Harriet the truth when Bob suddenly returns, saying he got waylaid with parish business. Bob is appalled to hear about Ashley's mini-stroke, not wanting to keep his secret anymore.

Meanwhile, Ross is looking after Moses and agrees to let a desperate Emma take him for a while. Emma wants to make a deal where she gets to look after Moses regularly, but Ross makes her swear that Debbie won't find out.

Elsewhere, Joanie is delighted as she tells Lisa that she got a job at the factory.

Also today, Laurel is floored when Harriet reveals that she's going to ask Ashley to marry her.

[Glen1]

Finding the Ashley storyline far more interesting than the Robert /Chas /Dianne /Emma business, which is rapidly getting boring for me.

[Perdita]

Finding the Ashley storyline far more interesting than the Robert /Chas /Dianne /Emma business, which is rapidly getting boring for me.

I find them both interesting .. Ashley´s because I hope they will show how quickly Alzheimers can develop and how patients behave .. Robert, Chas, Diane and Emma storyline is fascinating for me

[Glen1]

I find them both interesting .. Ashley´s because I hope they will show how quickly Alzheimers can develop and how patients behave .. Robert, Chas, Diane and Emma storyline is fascinating for me

Fair comment Perdita , I'm getting on a wee bit in years and occasionally forgetful , so this storyline may be a bit of a learning curve for me , looking for any clues I guess. Couldn't bare to inflict any burden on family.

[Perdita]

Aww Glen, sorry to hear that but most people start losing short term memory once they are in mid 40s ... Best thing is to do as Ashley did.. get proper medical tests done and get advice, there is a lot they can do now to help with this illness

[Telly Watcher]

Ashley & Laurel... BACK ON!

Then, on New Year's Eve, Ashley shocks Laurel with a suggestion.

'He says they should look into care homes for him'.

Spoiler from Soaplife newswriter
Soaplife, 19 Dec 2015 - 1 Jan 2016

[lizann]

Ashley & Laurel... BACK ON!

Then, on New Year's Eve, Ashley shocks Laurel with a suggestion.

'He says they should look into care homes for him'.

Spoiler from Soaplife newswriter
Soaplife, 19 Dec 2015 - 1 Jan 2016

feel sorry for harriet, she deserves the truth

john is doing an amazing job with the storyline

[lizann]

Ashley & Laurel... BACK ON!

Then, on New Year's Eve, Ashley shocks Laurel with a suggestion.

'He says they should look into care homes for him'.

Spoiler from Soaplife newswriter
Soaplife, 19 Dec 2015 - 1 Jan 2016

feel sorry for harriet, she deserves the truth

john is doing an amazing job with the storyline

[Telly Watcher]

There are emotional scenes ahead in Emmerdale as Ashley Thomas continues his tragic journey – by finally confessing to his children and his father Sandy that he is suffering from dementia.

The difficult moment comes as Sandy discovers leaflets for a care home – and makes the assumption that Ashley making plans for him. As Ashley and Laurel return home, they are confronted and Ashley is forced to sit his dad down and explain the truth of the bleak situation.

The news hits poor Sandy hard and, despite trying to put on a brave face, he later opens up to Doug about his fears for his son.

With the news spreading, Laurel and Ashley face the terrible prospect of telling the kids and, even though Ashley desperately tries to put it off, he eventually tells them directly.

Explaining the difficult situation, Charlotte Bellamy told Metro.co.uk: ‘The little boy, Alfie, who plays Arthur is an absolute gem he doesn’t really understand it. I was trying to explain it to him yesterday. I said do you know what’s going on with the story, do you know about… And his Mum’s tried to explain, and he says, “his brain goes funny, doesn’t it? Does he get better?”

‘So I’m like, “no he doesn’t get better”, and I tried to explain. But it’s awful. It’s hard, a boy of six years old, how do you tell them their Dad is going to lose their mind?’

Revealing an upcoming scene which sees a sad Ashley take the children out of school on a whim, Charlotte added: ‘He takes them out one day, he knows what he is doing. They have this picnic during the day by this stream and they have sausage rolls and cups of tea and the kids are on deckchairs and he thinks, “why don’t I do that more often?”

‘That’s quite nice. Course the kids don’t know what they are doing, they have a day off, there will be lots of moments like that I think.’

In the wake of confiding in his children, the news starts to spread around the village, leaving everyone shocked and devastated by what is happening to their friend. And as Ashley then builds bridges with Harriet, it’s clear he will have a strong support network.

But how long before the one closest to him starts to really feel the strain? As Laurel breaks down while alone, the cracks are already starting to show…

Read more at:
http://metro.co.uk/2015/12/24/emmerd...llage-5555082/