DEMENTIA / ALZEIMERS

[g.herschel]

The government PHIL HOPE M.P. have announced that doctors / medical students will receive specialist training to help them diagnose the early signs of dementia which as i know only to well can lead to a diagnoses of alzheimers .
In the last year or so some 800-000 people were diagnosed with dementia however the government have disclosed that the real figure is 3 times as high 2 . 4 million people diagnosed eventually with dementia .
I gave up work in 1997 mainly due to STANS dementia he also had some mobility problems i soon realised that he had more than dementia and i pushed the consultants into testing STAN properly and not just keep asking him to spell "world" backwards after brain scan and other tests they confirmed that he had alzheimers this was in 2002 .
So what will the government do now they have said if they can spot dementia early they can "SAVE" money on hospital beds and care home ??? no mention of the high cost of drugs for dementia when STAN had medication we were told the cost of his medication was over £100 per month can the N.H.S. afford that ? new people diagnosed with dementia will have access to "memory clinics" and the help of charities & volunteers ?????
Some 5% extra cash will be available for training .
I must be honest i have not looked through the whole new master plan but it looks as though it may raise more questions than answers when you have dementia you need help if you live alone god help you, do we have medication that helps all people with dementia i doubt it if you have a spouse you will be able to receive care but what if your spouse works full time ? you may have a family member who could help like me give up work and care full time if the dementia leads to alzheimers as we know you do requier full time care not all people with dementia will requier the same level of care some just cant remember where they left their keys or what day it is or they might even forget the way to the "memory clinic" or go to the clinic on the wrong day this was the kind of problems we had with STAN at first it was just forgetfulness he did need help but at first it was manageable but as i have said within a year or so i realised he had a serious problem and would need full time care .
What has annoyed me yet again is the government have not mentioned the help that carers can give to family members who may need full time care it in the long run it will be cheaper to pay family members as carers then have care workers, charities, volunteers & staff in memory clinics doing what ? reminding patients to take their medication if there is any.
What worries me is if the government decide to treat the 3 million or so with dementia and take the burden of care away from the family who by the way are often told to accept their responsabilities the family will just sit back and accept the help on offer but what happens if the dementia gets worse or even leads to alzheimers believe you me you will not get very many familiy members stepping in near the end to care for a loved one .
When i gave up work as stated STAN had some memory lose which we did cope with but as it lead to alzheimers it was very difficult to help him i must be honest i did cope with his alzheimers quite well but if i had been at work and the doctors had told me that STAN had alzheimers iam not sure if i would have given up work to care for him with such a serious illness .
I just wonder who the government have consulted on this whole dementia problem it looks to me as though they have not talked to carers, with our vast knowledge of dementia and the problems and treatment of this illness we iam sure could have given some good advice but as usual they go off on their own listening to who some educated idiots no doubt .

STOP PRESS PHIL HOPE M.P. CARE MINISTER = DID SAY PEOPLE WITH DEMENTIA COULD BE CARED FOR AT HOME IF DIAGNOSED EARLY SAVING THE STATE MONEY

WELL THERE YOU GO HE WANTS PEOPLE WITH DEMENTIA CARED FOR AT HOME SO WHO WILL DO THE CARE WORK MR HOPE ???? WILL IT BE CARE WORKERS AT A COST TO THE LOCAL AUTHORITY, THE N.H.S. AT A COST TO THE TAX PAYER, WILL IT BE CHARITIES OR VOLUNTEERS OR COULD IT BE A FAMILY MEMBER ? I THINK IT COULD BE A FAMILY MEMBER WE COULD GIVE THE FAMILY MEMBER AN ALLOWANCE WE COULD CALL IT THE "CARERS ALLOWANCE" I THINK ABOUT £ 50-50 PER WEEK WOULD BE A GOOD ALLOWANCE TO GIVE THEM BUT WE MUST MAKE SURE THE PERSON THEY CARE FOR DOES INDEED NEED CARE SAY ABOUT 35 HOURS CARE PER WEEK THIS ALLOWANCE OF £50-50 IS AN ADEQUATE PAYMENT AS THE GOVERNMENT HAVE JUST STATED IN THEIR RESPONSE TO THE SELECT COMMITTEE REPORT .

I KNOW IAM A CYNIC BUT IAM RIGHT .

[g.herschel]

" I`ve been listening to people`s worries about their homes and money.. that`s driving me to find ways to beat the downturn"

"when things go well they call me GORDON when they`re bad they call me Mr BROWN . at the moment they are calling me GORDON"


SORRY MR BROWN CARERS ARE STILL CALLING YOU AN R SOLE YOU MAY LISTEN TO THE WORRIES OF VARIOUS GROUPS CARERS INCLUDED YOU KNOW ONLY TO WELL THE PROBLEMS THAT FACE CARERS YOU MAY HAVE LISTENED TO THE CARERS REVIEW AND THE SELECT COMMITTEE BUT SAD TO SAY MR BROWN YOU HAVER DONE NOTHING TO HELP CARERS AT ALL .

I`VE VOTED LABOUR ALL MY LIFE SUPPORTED THE LABOUR PARTY VIA TRADE UNION WORK BUT THATS YER LOT MR BROWN I`VE HAD ENOUGH .

[Sarniajoy]

The Government hasn't a magic wand! I think some people on this forum seem to expect Gordon Brown to conjure up money out of thin air! Everyone wants more cash but if the money isn't there the Government can't do much! With the economic downturn, and people losing their jobs, there will be less tax payer's money to go around. One has to temper need with realism imo. BTW I have NEVER voted Labour in my life!

[Lazydaisy]

Nobody ever recognises the most terrible and humiliating effects of Alzheimers Disease. It is so cruel for every family member.George, I am sure that you will have broken your heart and shed many tears over the time Stan was ill,if he was aggressive or perhaps screaming that he did not recognise you. I nursed a man who was convinced that we were the Germans and were trying to gas him.He was so distressed and terrified, because that was what he truly believed, his mind was altered so much.

The Government need to recognise that families who care sometimes need emotional support. They are quick enough to find funding to pay for emergency services to have counselling after emrgency situations.None of us are asking for miracles;all that we want, even in the current economic climate is to be able to live, to feed, clothe and keep ourselves and our carees warm, without worrying. My brother-in-law last week lent us his tumble drier, as he said he will use his girlfriends, until we can get one, because when he was visiting, I was in and out of the house checking the washing, as it was a damp day. I dry most clothes on a clothes horse over the winter,but sheets and towels would be days drying, and I am very grateful to my brother-in-law, but why shouldn't I be able to afford to get a tumble drier?Those who have senile dementia and their Carers, could be needing the use of a tumble drier more than once daily, due to their needs. How do they manage?

My husband had to walk to our surgery this morning, not far, but really too far for him,but our son wasn't well enough to go out, and I am the only driver, and we could not afford a taxi. Even then, we had to take it in turns to go out, as I needed to do the food shopping.

I know this isn't specifically about dementia, and I apologise for not sticking to the topic George, but I do not apologise for pointing out that my family, as so many others, are financially desperate.(Our Welsh Assembly Member is able to claim expenses for a TV!)

[Sarniajoy]

I am sorry if people are strapped for cash, although everything is relative I suppose, even the poorest person in this country is rich compared to some of the poverty stricken folk in third world countries.

[g.herschel]

in this last year the government have spent 300 billion pounds and more bailing out the fat cat bankers they who almost brought the banking system into bankruptcy why oh why could the bankers not be realistic we as carers have been asking for help for years and years if he can conjure the money out of thin air for the bankers and others why cant he wave his wand for the carers and other disadvantaged groups .

India is a third world country i believe, yet they can produce the atom bomb send rocket`s into space have a company TA TA take over Landrover Jaguar and now have the nerve to ask us for cash to keep Landrover Jaguar solvent when they were prepared to take the profits back to India .

i wonder if GORDON BROWN will wave his magic wand and conjure up some cash out of thin air to save a third world countries top company why cant they be realistic with the present downturn where oh where can Mr BROWN get the cash from .

[Lazydaisy]

I truly wish I had the energy to worry about those in third world countries. I believe that the world as a whole has enough resources to feed, clothe and ensure health for all. If that was done, equality for all would be a reality.Not even people in third world countries want charity, They want to be able to live with honour and respect. I do what I can to support the charities I believe in.

UNtil Carers and Carees are recognised, we will never be treated right. I watched the snooker last night, and one of the players went into a childrens ward to give presents, and said that he believed they all should do that. Wonderful, but what about those in the Care of the Elderly wards, who might not see a human being apart from staff?Do we all have to wait for the rest of the world to be put right, before it is our turn?My cousin in America may not have access to NHS treatment for his small diabetic son, but the essential health insurance he had to take out covers all costs, including regular counselling for each family member.