Louis Therouxs Dementia Documentary Thurs PM, preview clip

[TinaT]

It was a lovely, gentle programme. A real tonic after the Panorama programme! I was struck by the gentleness Louie showed and his willingness to 'take on' the challenge of caring, even if for a very short time.

It didn't address the difficulties of caring for the severe, late stages nor, as another poster mentions, when it is most stressful and distressing to care for the many very difficult times when there is compulsive behaviour or uncontrolable anger which is so strong there can be no distraction.

I was also struck by the serious worries about paying for future care needs which was mentioned by almost all of the carers.

Thnere may have been a 'rose colured glasses' aspect a few times, but to be honest it was a tonic to see people coping albeit on a day to day basis so well. Just the tonic I needed at the end of this week.
xxTinaT

[Jancis]

I didn't mean the programme was depressingly bad I meant it made me so sad.

[jayden]

i thought it was a very good introduction for most people who have no knowledge of demntia before ,true they didnt show the more disturbing side but if they had i would probably have had a panic attack ,information overload

btw its getting very good feedback on twitter ,seems quite a few have been watching and had their eyes opened by it

[florence43]

I've just finished watching it, and it has made me smile.

There are so many sides to dementia, and what this did highlight was the beautiful people who suffer from it. The innocent, contented, treasured beautiful people who have this illness.

It showed a care home that we can only dream of having here, and put much of what our residential homes have to shame. The care home manager was wonderful, clearly very-well trained in dementia care, as were all the staff we met along the way. They treated the sufferers with respect and kindness, and portrayed work in this area to be a privilege, not a job to be taken at a minimum wage by the uncaring "carer" we read about too often in the news.

It made me feel warm and proud of my mum who battled so long with her own fears and the lady of 49 reminded me of mum as did Nancy who was 89. My dear mum was aged right between the two of them when she died. It brought back memories of the better times, which to be honest I would rather have than the bad times, any day. It made me remember to be immensely proud of her.

As much as I know people need to be aware of the darker sides of dementia, it doesn't help to lift the stigma and fear that surrounds the illness, and I know I always fear watching programmes like Panorama this week for how it leaves me feeling. I felt all that distress when mum was alive and I lived it daily, so I struggle very much going "back there". But tonight's programme was so beautiful, and so touching. It was sensitive and uplifting, which are sentiments I wouldn't have normally put with a dementia-related documentary. I think the care-home was inspirational and could certainly teach the UK ones a thing or two. In fact, it gave me hope.

Those are my initial feelings after watching this, so I thought I'd put them down before I got swayed by other takes on it. We'll all have different views, and that's how it should be...but mine have left me mainly with pride for my mum. On a personal level, it has reminded me of what a brave lady she was.

Maybe it was a one-sided view of dementia, but it worked for me, and I hope that it may chip away at the stigma the disease is strangled by.

My thoughts and admiration are with the amazing families and carers who took part and the home and its staff for the work they do. Mainly though it's for the wonderful personalities we met throughout the programme, who happen to suffer from dementia.



I'm very glad I watched it.

[Grannie G]

It worked for me too.

[Jancis]

I guess I was affected by my mum's reaction who watched it with me at my request (she doesn't have dementia and is striving to understand what happened to her brother) - it made her very sad.

[piedwarbler]

I was struck by the gentleness Louie showed and his willingness to 'take on' the challenge of caring, even if for a very short time.


xxTinaT

I agree Tina, Louis goes in with a sort of innocence that in this case worked really effectively to show how dementia affects people. At one point he seemed to almost not believe that Suelinda couldn't read the numbers on her phone, but when she drew that clock face I thought it was upsetting watching her trying to put the numbers on. I was relieved when he suspended the test. X

[florence43]

I think the fact I'm "out the other side" also makes me have a different perspective. Perhaps a year ago, the feelings I was experiencing would have possibly given me a different take on it. I'm at the stage in grief where my mum (pre-dementia) is just starting to come back to me, so much of the anger and distress is slowly dissolving.

It's such a sensitive area, but I'm really glad they've approached it, and watching it alone has helped! I would have felt more on edge had my husband been in the room!

Twitter seems to be going pretty crazy. Some of the tweets are quite naive, but any publicity is good, I suppose. The naivety reflects real-life attitudes, so I mustn't get angry at that. But on the whole, it appears to have touched many people.

[SWMBO1950]

My son text me as it was starting so I turned it on. I thought the programme was sensitive and I loved the elderly couple especially.

My heart went out to the family with the mother only 49 who had early onset - tragic.

For once they even gave a brief view of the tail end of this dreaful disease.

I was shocked to hear the wife of the dentist wanting to move on - my son said he felt the marriage had not been a happy one but non the less harsh.

[linda1scot]

i feel very sad after watching it. i must admit it has scared me although it was very very moving and sensitively made.

as a 45 year old with a 3 year old child seeing the lady with the 9 year old has made me really think what life could be like for bethany in a few years time. in fact what life could be like for my husband and older daughter too.

im kind of glad my husband didnt watch it as he is fast asleep in bed but i really really need a hug and be told everything is going to be alright.

to all those TP members who are going through this agony with their loved ones or have done whether they be at home or in a care home, my heart goes out to you all and behalf of dementia sufferers i want to say thank you for caring.

Linda xxx

[Grannie G]

You were courageous to watch it Linda. I thought of you when I saw the family with the young daughter and wondered if you would be watching and how you would feel.
The young woman was trying so hard to be all right.

I have not yet been able to watch the Panorama programme.

[jenniferpa]

This sounds a very interesting program. And as I live over here pertinent. I'll have to see if I can find it somewhere.

[kee]

Some random observations: I seem to be in the minority in finding it a shallow look at the subject, dementia as entertainment. The Wonderland doc concentrating on one family's struggles (which was slaughtered on here) was much more meaningful to me.

I found the blonde female manager irritating and robotic. The dentist man was quite spooky as he barely seemed ill at all, I've never seen someone that sharp with dementia. The woman who just repeated a word was disturbing, is that common? And talking in front of people like they're not there, even if they have dementia, really grates.

Anyway he explains himself more here but doesn't seem to have much knowledge of the subject, as he describes the home practices as being as a result of the influence of Tom Kitwood, rather than being completely standard.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17844315

[Onlyme]

I got the feeling that the dentist had shown a lot of agression and a controlling nature in the past and that his wife had probably carried on caring for him when, if things had been without AD, she would have left him.

I did feel they could have let us over-hear a bit more of Nancy having personal care.

When I saw SueLinda I thought if you Linda. Suelinda's daughter seems to have a good understanding on how to communicate with her Mum which I hope carried on.

I cried when I saw the room of people at the end of their lives as that will be Mum's future.

Louis showed a very good grasp of when a physical touch spoke volumes to comfort someone. The only time I was cross with him was when he questioned the use of the mobile phone. He was taken in by how unaffected SueLinda loooked.

[susiesue]

The young woman was trying so hard to be all right.

I'm afraid that woman reminded me so much of my David at the start of that dreadful journey, and 'trying so hard to be all right' sums it up perfectly.

I found her laughing was almost as if she was embarrassed that she couldn't do what what asked of her - again a reminder of David.

I found the whole programme very upsetting.