On Thursday, October 30th, 2025, live-in care became the topic of discussion as Mr. John Beard and his late wife Jean shared their remarkable story. With the help of their carer, Oyeyemi ‘Yemi’ Olaseinde, the couple was able to live together for a total of eight years, forming an unbreakable bond.
Mr. Beard, who resides in the Bungalow built for Jean in Great Longstone, Peak District, recalls the loving care provided by Yemi during his wife’s battle with dementia. “She used to call me dad,” said Mr. Beard with a smile.
With Yemi’s continuous care, she put her life in London on hold and spent months at a time away from her two daughters. During the pandemic, as Jean’s dementia worsened, Yemi stayed with the couple for six consecutive months. This is the longest care placement facilitated by Elder, and possibly one of the longest examples of devoted care in the country.
The Beards’ home is filled with character and cherished memories, and Mr. Beard proudly shows off a framed photo of the couple from their 1954 wedding, as well as a certificate from the Queen of England acknowledging their diamond anniversary. As we chat in their living room, Mr. Beard hands over his wife’s funeral program and fondly remarks on her picture, taken when he went into the RAF.
The couple’s love story began when they were 16 and 22, respectively, and their bond was solidified at their local church youth club. Jean’s first encounter with John was comical, as she once saw him riding his bike to school and referred to him as a “drip.” Despite this, they dated for six years before getting married and had a loving relationship for 71 years.
After Mr. Beard left the RAF in 1956, they moved to Sheffield, where they raised their two children, Alastair and Fiona. With the welcomed addition of their children, the family moved several times before settling in Ashford In The Water, just five kilometers from their Dagenham bungalow. While Jean ran the home, she also dedicated her time to her community, serving as treasurer and a committee member for The Ashford Institute and The Women’s Institute. She also volunteered at the Bakewell Red Cross Store for many years.
Mr. Beard had a successful career as an accountant and eventually became heavily involved with the Freemasons, earning the title of Deputy Grand Master for Derbyshire. When Jean was diagnosed with dementia in 2009, it became clear to Mr. Beard that their home of 32 years, a converted 200-year-old barn, was not suitable for her needs. They relocated to their bungalow a year later, and Mr. Beard remembers the moment when they both realized her condition was worsening.
“She’d taken our grandson to swimming, and when she came out, she didn’t know which way to turn. She turned left instead of right. It was then that I realized something was wrong,” he said. From then on, they went through various stages, with Jean eventually not worrying about things like curtains or locked doors, which Mr. Beard found both good and concerning.
However, when Mrs. Beard fractured her pelvis from a fall, he knew he needed help. “At that stage, I had to do something. While I could help her during the day, I couldn’t do the night bit as well,” he said.
This is where Yemi came in, and within a few weeks, she and Mrs. Beard formed a strong bond. Between her care duties, they would watch television, go shopping, and complete puzzles, a favorite hobby of Mrs. Beard’s before her diagnosis. Mr. Beard fondly recalls the smells of Yemi’s Nigerian cooking and how she referred to him as “dad.”
For eight years, the Beards entrusted Yemi with the care of their loved one. She became an integral part of Jean’s world, and the family welcomed her as a member, even providing her with breaks to return to London to see her daughters. Mr. Beard would pay for her train tickets, and their son Alastair would drive her back home.
Before leaving for a break, Yemi made sure to find the best respite carer for Jean. “We always tried to get the same carers, and Yemi was insistent she got the right person,” Mr. Beard said. “Yemi and I used to look at carers and make our decisions together. She (Jean) would settle when Yemi was away, but she always knew her when she came back.”
Yemi, who knows the difficulties of caring for someone with dementia, found her calling as a carer after looking after her own grandmother. “I like being a companion,” she said. “That’s what a lot of the elderly want. A companion, a friend.” During the pandemic
