Daily Mail Article

[Izzy]

Found this today:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/ar...=feeds-newsxml

[jimbo 111]

Found this today:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/ar...=feeds-newsxml

An interesting , thought provoking article Were I still in my fourties I would , like the author say no to any tests that were not life saving
Now in my eighties I think I would say yes
Why ? because a diagnosis would give a good indication of my future (as long as it continues )
I would like to think that I could make better use of my life and with that knowledge
place my affairs to give the least trauma to my next of kin
Why don't I do it now anyway ???????
Because I am only human and tomorrow will do
jimbo 111

[Tender Face]

I recall this hoo-hah from the 80s with HIV tests and insurance companies ‘latching on’ to quoting higher premiums or declining ‘high risk’ clients (just one way of looking at it) for anyone THEY deemed ‘at risk’. A lot of life companies actively asked about HIV tests. Is this where we are coming to with dementia tests? HIV questions could be seen as intrusive and a perceived reflection of lifestyle (no, I am not disclosing why I dared face the test myself other than I had to put my own mind at rest about a possible exposure!) – but dementia not??????

I recall one insurance salesman was quickly sent running from his commission trying to sell me life assurance by telling him I had had an HIV test and had proof it was negative and therefore would he lower my premiums? No prizes for guessing the response!

I was in the same bag as anyone hadn’t had the test ...... although I had medical proof I was a ‘safe bet’ for them when they were using HIV+ and AIDS as a vehicle to cherry pick clients and/or charge ridiculous premiums for anyone in a certain age bracket who declared ‘no test’!

Only works one way with insurance companies?

Karen, x

[Padraig]

Never wished to know what the future held for me. Life's next challenge will no doubt come in it's own good time and after the Alzheimer's journey I've had two more: one our son had bowel cancer and I stomach cancer. As I'm over 80 there can't be too many challenges on the way.

Over the Easter break I was rushed to A&E in pain. The doctor told me that I was very lucky to have had the whole of my stomach removed. When I asked why: "Did they not tell you that without the operation you had two months to live?" "No, I didn't wish to know and just told them to do what they had to do." I replied.
The good thing was I made a will and placed our son as sole executor.

[Saffie]

No - I wouldn't want the test. Simply because who is to say that you might not die of something totally unconnected before the symptoms of dementia became openly appararant. Years of worry would have been experienced unnecessarily. If there was really effective treatment available then that would be different.

I think that my husband accepted his diagnosis of vascular dementia because, even though he was seemingly alert, he was not able to totally absorb the message it gave and for that I am grateful.

Incidentally, the article highlighted with this one, about varying home costs was interesting too.