{"id":11565,"date":"2026-01-26T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-01-26T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/?p=11565"},"modified":"2026-01-28T21:34:02","modified_gmt":"2026-01-28T21:34:02","slug":"i-shared-my-nans-dementia-journey-on-tiktok-to-help-people-then-trolls-deepfaked-her","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/26\/i-shared-my-nans-dementia-journey-on-tiktok-to-help-people-then-trolls-deepfaked-her\/","title":{"rendered":"I shared my nan\u2019s dementia journey on TikTok to help people \u2013 then trolls deepfaked her"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n\t\t\"Tiktoker\t<\/div>
Jess and her nan have used TikTok to help nearly 2million people understand dementia (Picture: Little Jess & Nan)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Dorothy Jean was in her care home, lying on her bed surrounded by cushions and blankets, when she asked her granddaughter Jessica Anne an earth-shattering question: \u2018Are you here to clean my room?\u2019<\/p>\n

The 28-year-old’s heart snapped – her nan could no longer remember who she was due to vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s<\/a>. Feeling like her world was caving in, with no chance of happiness in sight – Jessica Anne, who is also known as Little Jess, decided to capture the moment on video, and it changed the pair\u2019s lives forever. <\/p>\n

Jess posted the video on TikTok<\/a>, with humble hopes of finding others who relate. Neither she nor her 93-year-old grandma could predict they would go on to help 1.8 million people understand dementia<\/a> on their TikTok account \u2018Little Jess & Nan<\/a>\u2019.<\/p>\n

\u2018When I shared it online, millions responded with their own stories of heartbreak, confusion, and love,\u2019 Jess tells Metro<\/strong>. \u2018That response showed me how many were suffering quietly, and I decided to keep posting. If our videos could help one person feel less alone, then it was worth it.\u2019<\/p>\n

The pair\u2019s TikToks show the realities of dementia, and their most popular video has reached 19.8 million<\/a> people. <\/p>\n

Dorothy Jean is bedbound now, often believing she is the age of a toddler, calling Jess \u2018mum\u2019 and recollecting her school days. On some days, she is content – others, she\u2019s angry and will scream at Jess to leave. <\/p>\n

\u2018I will always protect my nan\u2019s dignity,’ Jess explains. ‘The videos are cut down and edited, and there are moments of sadness, distress, and personal care that I will not share online.\u2019<\/p>\n

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Jess says that when she shared her nan’s story online, loads of people responded with their own stories of heartbreak, confusion, and love (Picture: Little Jess & Nan)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The videos originated to help Dorothy Jean\u2019s family cope. Her four children – plus 14 grandchildren – documented their interactions with the 93-year-old for the family group chat to give updates on her well-being.<\/p>\n

\u2018It meant it wasn\u2019t as scary to see nan in that way,\u2019 Jess explains. \u2018It encourages people to visit, and shows you can have meaningful and joyful conversations with someone with dementia. <\/p>\n

\u2018When my nan first got diagnosed, she was afraid of forgetting her life. We always documented our time together through photos and videos, so we continued to preserve our memories this way.\u2019<\/p>\n

When Jess started posting the videos online, her family were nothing but supportive – they knew how much their nan wanted to support others throughout her life, and now, she was helping around the world.<\/p>\n

‘You forget how to walk, talk, and swallow\u2019<\/h2>\n

Dorothy Jean started showing signs of dementia<\/a> in 2017. She became lost in conversations, and said her brain felt like \u2018fog\u2019 – when people would speak to her, she\u2019d struggle to recall the conversation just moments after. Almost nine years later, Jess still remembers how \u2018scary and awful\u2019 that time was.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\tHow to sign up to our 2026 Metro Lifeline challenge\t\t\t<\/h2>\n
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This year Metro.co.uk is proudly supporting Alzheimer’s Society<\/a> for our 2026 Lifeline campaign.<\/p>\n

On Saturday 13 June 2026<\/strong>, we\u2019re inviting our readers to take on an incredible challenge: an epic hike through the stunning Cotswolds countryside \u2014 all to help support people living with dementia.<\/p>\n

Choose your distance: 25km, 50km or 100km.<\/em><\/p>\n

With registration starting at just \u00a315<\/strong>, and fundraising targets of \u00a3150 (25km)<\/strong>, \u00a3225 (50km)<\/strong> or \u00a3330 (100km)<\/strong>, you can push yourself as far as you want \u2014 while helping fund vital support and research.<\/p>\n

Whether you sign up solo or take on the challenge with friends, you\u2019ll be part of Team Lifeline<\/strong>, with plenty of guidance, encouragement and support along the way. Every mile you walk and every pound you raise will help make a real difference for people facing the daily realities of dementia.<\/p>\n

For our ‘everything you need to know’ guide, click here<\/a> – or if you’re already raring to sign up, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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\n\t\t\"\"\t<\/div>
‘We always documented our time together through photos and videos,’ says Jess (Picture: Little Jess & Nan)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On one occasion, the grandmother asked Jess\u2019 boyfriend to introduce himself almost 50 times in an hour – although she\u2019d seen him just two months prior. Not long after this, her symptoms worsened.<\/p>\n

Jess recalls: \u2018My nan would walk around the house she\u2019d lived in for years and not know where her kitchen was. She\u2019d put things in the microwave and not remember. She\u2019d also wander off, and it was becoming very unsafe.<\/p>\n

\u2018At this time, I didn\u2019t have much awareness about dementia, so I didn\u2019t realise there was also a physical element. You forget how to walk, talk, and swallow.\u2019<\/p>\n

In this time of confusion, Jess turned to the charity<\/a> Alzheimer\u2019s Society. <\/p>\n

\u2018After nan\u2019s diagnosis, it felt like we\u2019d hit a brick wall. But Alzheimer\u2019s Society were amazing. Any small questions you have like \u201cI can\u2019t get my mum to eat her food,\u201d they will give you the most incredible advice.\u2019<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"\"\t<\/div>
Dorothy Jean has also been the ‘heart of the family’ (Picture: Little Jess & Nan)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Toward the end of 2019, Dorothy Jean went into a home – but this has not stopped her loved ones from enjoying every second of her company. She has always been the \u2018heart of the family\u2019, having hosted her infamous Christmas party with games, talent shows, and a top-notch Christmas dinner (that she still speaks about, even now).<\/p>\n

\u2018She has always been funny and quick-witted, and even with dementia she\u2019s never lost this,\u2019 Jess laughs, recalling her nan’s sassy moments. \u2018My grandad isn\u2019t here anymore to back himself up, so she\u2019ll constantly make jokes about him out of nowhere.<\/p>\n

\u2018She\u2019ll ask, \u201cHave you seen Arthur today?\u201d, and I\u2019ll say, \u201cNo, what\u2019s he up to?\u201d, and she\u2019ll reply, \u201cHe\u2019s down the bloody pub again!\u201d To me, that\u2019s just hilarious, and I\u2019ll miss that when it\u2019s gone because that\u2019s just my nan.\u2019<\/p>\n

According to Jess, that\u2019s what their TikTok posts do best: prove that life with Alzheimer\u2019s is still joyful. <\/p>\n

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@little_jessx<\/a> <\/p>\n

\u266c som original – Trechos Musicais<\/a> <\/section>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

She explains: \u2018A lot of people have found my platform to be an outlet where they\u2019ve opened up with their own experiences and related to ours. But it\u2019s also been so helpful for us, because we\u2019ve got some great advice. It\u2019s such a wholesome community.\u2019<\/p>\n

From her followers, Jess has discovered \u2018amazing\u2019 \u00a35 fidget blankets which can help keep dementia patients\u2019 minds engaged, as well as rinse-free cleansing wipes so they don\u2019t have to shower or bathe. <\/p>\n

However, one vile side of the internet has reared it’s ugly head with cruel trolls creating AI deep fakes of Dorothy Jean – these fake videos of Jess\u2019 nan have her speaking in an American accent, and claim her dementia is cured. <\/p>\n

\u2018It\u2019s just heartbreaking because that\u2019s not what I ever chose to share with my nan. I didn\u2019t want it to ever be taken in the wrong light.\u2019 Jess says sadly. \u2018But me and my followers always report it. Most people are supportive, apart from the odd one.\u2019<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"\"\t<\/div>
\u2018If she knew how many millions of people she was helping, just by being her, she would be overjoyed,’ says Jess (Picture: Little Jess & Nan)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Look through Jess and Dorothy Jean\u2019s comments and you can see how much their videos are helping. People recall their own grandparent\u2019s journey with dementia, as well as feel inspired to visit their own grandparents and take tips on how to communicate with people suffering with the disease. <\/p>\n

Jess, who is supporting Metro’s Lifeline campaign in support of Alzheimer’s Society<\/a>, finds that by jumping into her nan\u2019s \u2018dementia world\u2019, rather than trying to put her into reality, DorothyJean is most at peace.<\/p>\n

Dementia and Alzheimer\u2019s is not easy to navigate, and it\u2019s changed Jess forever, she adds. There has been the \u2018dramatically emotional\u2019 moments she has said goodbye to her nan, thinking it was the end. But there is the everyday pain too – each time Jess walks into the care home, she must rebuild that connection with Dorothy Jean.<\/p>\n

But with the help of her family, the care home staff, and her community, she stays strong.<\/p>\n

\u2018My nan always gave to charities and put others first,\u2019 Jess says with a smile. \u2018If she knew how many millions of people she was helping, just by being her, she would be overjoyed.\u2019<\/p>\n<\/p>\n


\n\t\t\tComment now<\/title><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"share-bar-comments__label\">Comments<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t<\/a><a class=\"metro-button share-bar-preferred-source\" data-vars-position=\"bottom\" href=\"https:\/\/google.com\/preferences\/source?q=https:\/\/metro.co.uk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span><title>Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google<\/title><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"share-bar-preferred-source__label\">Add as preferred source<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/a><\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Jess and her nan have used TikTok to help nearly 2million people understand dementia (Picture: Little Jess & Nan) Dorothy Jean was in her care home, lying on her bed surrounded by cushions and blankets, when she asked her granddaughter Jessica Anne an earth-shattering question: \u2018Are you here to clean my room?\u2019 The 28-year-old’s heart […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11567,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[9],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11565"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11565"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11565\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11573,"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11565\/revisions\/11573"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11567"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11565"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11565"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11565"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}