'Elderly carers' need more support

[JPG1]

GPs throughout the UK should be giving more support to carers who are aged over 60, a charity says.

The Princess Royal Trust for Carers says family doctors should offer older carers an annual health check, including screening for depression.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-14856160

Supporting carers could save billions to public purse

http://www.carers.org/news/supporting-carers-could-save-billions-public-purse


Supporting Carers : The Case for Change (The Report)
http://www.carers.org/sites/default/files/supporting_carers_the_case_for_change.pdf

 

[Coletta]

Thanks for this very interesting info. I feel very passionately about this - my heart goes out to all the elderly carers struggling to cope, often with a 'stiff upper lip' because that is how their generation was brought up.

I have just sent an email to my local Primary Care Trust and will be sending them another one with these websites. Who knows, it might do some good.

I contacted them because I have steam coming out of my ears, in trying to get the wax out my MIL's ears and getting a nurse to come to the house to syringe them, but they dont do it in my area. I said I would happily pay for it, but NO!!

Mum has stage 6/7 Alzheimers, she is blind and now totally deaf. She is also a severe asthmatic and has a pacemaker. Its been a nighmare putting eardrops in for a few days and leaving her hearing aid out. (I do put it back for a minute to tell her things, but she then forgets) She has been shouting worse than ever, asks things but then cant hear the response.

I am a 'young' elderly carer, having only this year retired. - I dont know how an older carer would be able to cope with this. Only at the expense of their health. My husband is due to have an angioplasty soon so needs to avoid stress, putting more stress on me as I am trying to keep MIL quiet. But she will still shout if I sit next to her, because she cant see me.

I have asked the PCT how they expect a bed bound person to get their ears syringed and am waiting to hear.
OOOO, Im grumpy today.

Coletta xx

 

[beech mount]

And suppose the Doctor finds that a elderly carers health is suffering,where will the "help" come from? Its all smoke and mirrers.
John.

 

[grove]

Thank you very much for doing the Link JPG ...... did hear a bit on the News but did not "Take it all in " .......... you could be the T P Press Officer ..... will listen to the news later to day & listen properly this time !

Best Wishes


Love Grove x x

 

[Onlyme]

Dr seem to be a law unto themselves. They wouldn't come out to see my son so I had to take him in. I then got yelled at for bringing someone with swine flu into the surgery.

I really hope they sort out the elderly carer situation. They can't seem to see that if they wear out the carers it will cost them more money.

 

[grove]

Hello JPG , P S from my first "Post "......... My Mother comes under the " Elderly Carer's " Group ...... ( Dad has Mild / Moderate Dementia ) Mum was 81 last Month & think for her age health wize she is ok ...... Does Yoga etc & Dad is not too bad

Lets hope the P C T 's take note of the report as it sounds a good idea to me ! , tho of course the G P 's will ( i gess ) have to have extra money to do it & would they want to do it any way ?

More food for thought !

Love Grove x x

 

[TinaT]

Our local doctor's surgery must be the exception as I'm a registered carer I get yearly health checks, flue jabs etc., In fact the surgery send out letters reminding me of this each year.


Yet again it seems the postcode lottery is at fault.

As a former governor of a local mental health trust, I met a lot of younger carers who had to cope with drug abuse, alcoholism, prison etc., and bringing up their families in very difficult home circumstances. As with my doctor's surgery, the local mental health trust organised and provided a place for such relatives to form self help groups and supported them well.

This is the same MHT which has just withdrawn our Admiral Nursing Service! So probably they are withdrawing their other carer services (I've now lost touch with the day to day running) and now giving all mental health carers less and less support.

This is a shortsighted and very sad state of affairs. I can only speak of just one mental health trust but I'm sure other MHT's are doing the same in diminishing services for carers.

xxTinaT

 

[beech mount]

I was a registered carer with our GP,was offered no health checks,no information on when there would be flue jabs and as i have posted in the past was told not to take my wife to them if she was ill as they could do nothing for her,as you say Tina,its a postcode.
John.

 

[jimbo 111]

Beeing an 'older carer while caring for my wife I find it difficult to say much about the problems older people face
I know the frailities of old age do add to the problems of being a carer,but the job of caring takes its toll on all ages and GP's need to learn the warning signals irrespective of age
I wouldn't put too much faith in the matter of looking out for depression
some of you may be familiar with this form it is the standard Q used by GP's
I have ben variously diagnosed with clinical depression , ME , Chronic Fatigue Syndrome , and my Gp is still scratching his head over this form
I have told him his tablets are useless and I keep my sanity logging on to T P
jimbo 111
Ps thankyou JPG interesting

PATIENT HEALTH QUESTIONNAIRE (PHQ-9)
Date:


Over the last two weeks, how often have you been bothered by any of the following problems? (Use '"x" to indicate your answer) I !
not at all - several days- More than 1/2 the days Nearly every day
1. Little interest or pleasure in doing things .
2. Feeling down depressed or'hopeiess ~ .
3. Trouble falling or staying asleep, or sleeping too much ~ .
4. Feeling tired or having little energy .
5. Poor appetite or overeating .
6. Feeling bad about yourself - or that your are a failure or have let yourself or your family down .
7. Trouble concentrating on things, such as reading the newspaper or watching television .
8. Moving or speaking so slowly that other people could have noticed. Or the opposite - being so fidgety or restless that you have been moving around a lot more than usual .
9. Thoughts that you would be better off dead, or of hurting yourself in some way .....
Total for Each Column:





10. If you have checked off any problems, how difficult have these problems made it for you to do your work, take care of things at home, or get along with other people? Very difficult Somewhat difficult Extremely difficult

 

[NewKid]

Short film highlighting pressure on elderly carers - sources of funding, any ideas?

HI everyone, I haven't been on TP for quite a while... am still looking after my Mum's interests though she is well cared for in residential home, now definitely into advancing stages.

Anyway, my point... I have written a short film about my parents and it really highlights the case for more support for elderly carers. The story looks at how an elderly woman with AZ struggles to function over a period of 48 hours, and is from the viewpoint of her elderly husband - it is gradually revealed that he is incapacitated on the kitchen floor of their home and has clearly had a severe stroke. Neither can help each other any more.

I want to get this film made and aired - not for profit, of course, but to emphasise the strain on elderly carers and as a tribute to the love and care they give, at great personal cost. Any thoughts on sympathetic organisations I could approach who might be up for a/ funding the making of this 'short' and b/ distributing it?

 

[mad_geordie]

This is something that worries me too. As many carers get older how many will take on caring roles for their loved ones, at a time wherein support from local authorities is getting less or priced out of reach.

How many will become sandwich carers. We already have people caring for both elderly parents and disabled younger/adult children.

Day centres are closing and in many towns respite is getting less.

I am all for improvement, have accessed Direct Payments in the past and now also work under them, busmans holidays...lol. But I dont believe they work for everyone.

Has any members here had good/bad experience of DP's. Did they work for you?