BBC Dementia coverage

[RobinH]

The BBC are featuring Dementia all week, to tie in with the G8 meeting in London.

Dementia: Five priorities for research

This one does what most coverage does - it confuses Alzheimers Disease with Dementia. Even the first image, of a shrunken brain, is captioned "Loss of tissue in a demented brain compared with a healthy one", but if you look at the image, it is of a brain with Alzheimer's Disease.

The article talks about one disease. These are many different diseases. The causes and effects are different, and while we don't know how to prevent Alzheimers, we do know that a healthy lifestyle can reduce the risk of Vascular Dementia. This article is poor quality, and wrong.

And finally, we can see that the word 'Demented' is derived from 'Dementia', but to me it's a judgemental term - an insult. Would you want your loved one's carer to describe them as 'Demented'? I don't think so.

The BBC used to have a way of commenting on their articles, but not now. Perhaps someone at the Alzheimers Society could have put them straight?

 

[lin1]

The BBC are featuring Dementia all week, to tie in with the G8 meeting in London.

Dementia: Five priorities for research

This one does what most coverage does - it confuses Alzheimers Disease with Dementia. Even the first image, of a shrunken brain, is captioned "Loss of tissue in a demented brain compared with a healthy one", but if you look at the image, it is of a brain with Alzheimer's Disease.

The article talks about one disease. These are many different diseases. The causes and effects are different, and while we don't know how to prevent Alzheimers, we do know that a healthy lifestyle can reduce the risk of Vascular Dementia. This article is poor quality, and wrong.

And finally, we can see that the word 'Demented' is derived from 'Dementia', but to me it's a judgemental term - an insult. Would you want your loved one's carer to describe them as 'Demented'? I don't think so.

I so agree with you, if someone had said my mum was Demented rather than she has Dementia, I would have floored them.

The BBC used to have a way of commenting on their articles, but not now. Perhaps someone at the Alzheimers Society could have put them straight?

I hope they do

 

[FifiMo]

What a diabolical article. It is false information like this that sets progress back for years.

The AS contributed to the article in the final paragraph.

Fiona

 

[geordie]

I too deplore the use of the term demented and it it seems to be slipping into regular usage. My relative recently received a copy of a hospital letter (for a condition not related to dementia) and it began ...this demented lady presented with. The consultants choice of words was further evidence for us of his totally dismissive attitude to someone who has a dementia diagnosis.

Long way to go with health care prof attitudes as well as general media knowledge

 

[Grannie G]

I think it is a reflection on previous uses of the term which makes us all, me included, sensitive.

My husband has Diabetes so he is referred to as diabetic.

A child with Autism is referred to as autistic.

So a person with Dementia could be referred to as demented.

I`m not defending it, just trying to give an explanation of how it came about.

I do agree the global term Alzheimer`s should not be used for all types of dementia but it is clear in this quote it isn`t .

Dementia

It's an umbrella term that describes around 100 diseases in which brain cells die on a huge scale

 

[marsaday]

I suppose it's a term that although medically correct has fallen out of favour since being used in a derogatory or familiar way to refer to someone or ourselves. For instance the expression-I was nearly demented (with worry/stress etc) is very common here.

I can think of others that we used as children but are frowned upon now even though they described a true condition-spastic/mongol etc.

On the question of dementia v alz I wish the news programs would be more clear. I have had a friend say to me -Oh your Mum doesn't have Alz does she? Just dementia.

I could scream - what do you mean JUST dementia!! (Even though Mum does have Alz). So few people seem to know that Alz =dementia but dementia does not nec equal Alz and that Alz is not nec the worst it is just the most common.

And that there's no such thing as JUST dementia-Grrrr

 

[Witzend]

Quite agree. People who pontificate about it are so often utterly clueless about the realities.

E.g. In today's Times there is a quote from the head of the Care Quality Commission, something like, 'there is a need to explore why people with dementia may not be getting good quality care.'

Should I write and direct him to TP?

So many of these people seem to have no idea about how hard it can be a) to get someone to the GP in the first place when they are refusing to go, b) to get a GP to take anything seriously when the person may 'present' well for ten minutes, c) to get the person to accept any help when they are stubborn as mules/in denial/ or as far as they are concerned there is absolutely nothing wrong with them, or c) all the trials and tribulations that can go with trying to get help from SS (though I know experiences here can differ widely)

 

[gringo]

Dementia was the main topic on the BBC. at 8.10 this morning. It was nicely sanitised and featured a man with AD.. and his wife. The man couldn’t drive without a satnav, except to his Golfclub. This morning he forgot his golf shoes. Oh dear! So there we are again, it’s just a rather laughable memory thing. The people at the BBC. do not live in our world and don't have the slightest idea of the heartache and distress involved. They do not even begin to comprehend the far-reaching effects of this disease. I keep on saying that people concerned with AD. should be made to read the posts on here for a month or two and see the realities of our lives. It won’t happen, it’s as if we’ve been allowed this forum to keep us quiet and out of the way, while the important work, of sorting out the committee structures and making sure that the minutes of meetings are properly drafted, goes on.
Will the Alz. Soc. complain do you think? I won’t hold my breath.

 

[jaymor]

Dementia was the main topic on the BBC. at 8.10 this morning. It was nicely sanitised and featured a man with AD.. and his wife. The man couldn’t drive without a satnav, except to his Golfclub. This morning he forgot his golf shoes. Oh dear! So there we are again, it’s just a rather laughable memory thing. The people at the BBC. do not live in our world and don't have the slightest idea of the heartache and distress involved. They do not even begin to comprehend the far-reaching effects of this disease. I keep on saying that people concerned with AD. should be made to read the posts on here for a month or two and see the realities of our lives. It won’t happen, it’s as if we’ve been allowed this forum to keep us quiet and out of the way, while the important work, of sorting out the committee structures and making sure that the minutes of meetings are properly drafted, goes on.
Will the Alz. Soc. complain do you think? I won’t hold my breath.

I too heard this this morning and could not believe they used this gentleman and his wife to represent someone suffering from dementia. He was at the golf club, forgotten his clubs and shoes. He said they may still be on the garage floor. So is major problem caused by dementia was he had to borrow a set of clubs to play golf and he was not wearing golf shoes. As you say Gringo, this has not done our cause one little bit of use.

We really need to hear that they have come to this forum and looked at what our loved ones and ourselves have to contend with on a daily basis. Memory is the least of our problems.

Jay


Sent from my iPad using Talking Point mobile app

 

[malc]

watched the first one on the bbc news,a stereotypical case study,old lady caring for her elderly husband,how about 46 year old man caring for his 43 year old wife,i texted them on 61124 number,did i get a reply,no,commented on david cameron's facebook page,will it do any good,i doubt it,nobody cares,i've concluded it's all spin,lets keep the voters happy!!

 

[Izzy]

There was a phone in on Radio Scotland this morning. I only heard a little as I was waiting for a train. Mostly carers were phoning in. One man was almost in tears. His wife has dementia and he has little or no sleep. Another caller was a local (to me) lady whose husband was a professional footballer in Dundee. He is under 65. She spoke so well about the problems of getting support for under 65s. I wish I'd heard the whole programme. Might get it on iplayer. It's the 'Call Kay' programme on Radio Scotland for anyone who is interested.

 

[Fly]

Care Minister Norman Lamb's Comments on Newsnight

During Newsnight yesterday evening I was very disappointed to hear Norman Lamb refer to Vascular Dementia as being caused by 'lifestyle'.

Despite a very active and healthy 'lifestyle' my mother (now 91) had a stroke about 10 years ago - a blood vessel burst in her brain. As a result of that and the ensuing poor care, both at the time and since, she now has many physical and mental problems including vascular dementia which has increased in severity over the years. She is now cared for in bed only and is unable to carry out any 'activity of daily living'. I look after her.

Prior to this she was not overweight, did not drink or smoke, did not have high BP or diabetes or any other condition. She has always eaten good fresh food and been very active - housekeeping, walking, helping with meals on wheels and often caring for her grandchildren. At 80 she was still able to complete the difficult Daily Telegraph crossword.

I do not know why she developed a weakness in one of the blood vessels in her brain, she was probably just unlucky, but I was incensed to hear a minister, who really should be better informed, make such a statement on TV. It suggests that apparently her predicament now is a result of her actions: her choice, her fault.

Please could someone help him understand that not everyone who becomes chronically ill, especially in old age, could have prevented it.

 

[Izzy]

There was a phone in on Radio Scotland this morning. I only heard a little as I was waiting for a train. Mostly carers were phoning in. One man was almost in tears. His wife has dementia and he has little or no sleep. Another caller was a local (to me) lady whose husband was a professional footballer in Dundee. He is under 65. She spoke so well about the problems of getting support for under 65s. I wish I'd heard the whole programme. Might get it on iplayer. It's the 'Call Kay' programme on Radio Scotland for anyone who is interested.

 

[Pollyanna]

I have just had a call,BBC Radio Derby want to interview me later,i will try hard not to get on my soap box!

Go Kassy!!!

 

[gringo]

Go for it Kassy, Please take your soapbox!

 

[Witzend]

During Newsnight yesterday evening I was very disappointed to hear Norman Lamb refer to Vascular Dementia as being caused by 'lifestyle'.

Despite a very active and healthy 'lifestyle' my mother (now 91) had a stroke about 10 years ago - a blood vessel burst in her brain. As a result of that and the ensuing poor care, both at the time and since, she now has many physical and mental problems including vascular dementia which has increased in severity over the years. She is now cared for in bed only and is unable to carry out any 'activity of daily living'. I look after her.

Prior to this she was not overweight, did not drink or smoke, did not have high BP or diabetes or any other condition. She has always eaten good fresh food and been very active - housekeeping, walking, helping with meals on wheels and often caring for her grandchildren. At 80 she was still able to complete the difficult Daily Telegraph crossword.

I do not know why she developed a weakness in one of the blood vessels in her brain, she was probably just unlucky, but I was incensed to hear a minister, who really should be better informed, make such a statement on TV. It suggests that apparently her predicament now is a result of her actions: her choice, her fault.

Please could someone help him understand that not everyone who becomes chronically ill, especially in old age, could have prevented it.

Yes, I've been angry at this, too. My FIL had VasDem, at least that's what we assume, no diagnosis at the time, but it was accompanied by TIAs. He was never remotely overweight, never smoked, hardly drank, and moreover always took loads of exercise, even playing tennis regularly into his 80s. It is wrong and very unfair to imply that lifestyle is a common cause of this disease, in other words that if you get it, it is probably your own fault.

 

[Sue J]

I think it is a reflection on previous uses of the term which makes us all, me included, sensitive.

My husband has Diabetes so he is referred to as diabetic.

A child with Autism is referred to as autistic.

So a person with Dementia could be referred to as demented.

I`m not defending it, just trying to give an explanation of how it came about.

I do agree the global term Alzheimer`s should not be used for all types of dementia but it is clear in this quote it isn`t .

Dementia

I agree Sylvia, it is the connotations that go with the term 'demented' that don't help at all in fact do the opposite, it is itself a demeaning term.

 

[MissisT]

I'm upset about the lack of understanding too but I'm very pleased at the amount of publicity being given to the subject. To be fair, you can't expect Joe Public to be as expert as us lot and at least people like Kassy are being invited to say it like it is at last.

Onwards and upwards.

 

[garnuft]

Yes, I've been angry at this, too. My FIL had VasDem, at least that's what we assume, no diagnosis at the time, but it was accompanied by TIAs. He was never remotely overweight, never smoked, hardly drank, and moreover always took loads of exercise, even playing tennis regularly into his 80s. It is wrong and very unfair to imply that lifestyle is a common cause of this disease, in other words that if you get it, it is probably your own fault.

Absolutely, I think it is also mis-leading to imply that if you live an exemplary life, you are lower down in the scale of chances of developing Vascular Dementia. Too many variables to do anything other than to jump on the bandwagon of blame.

I also think demented is an appropriate descriptive word in the same way 'retarded' applies to people with learning difficulties...it IS grammatically correct....my mother is demented, she is tormented by the traitor her brain has become...
but it's heartless, lazy and pigeon holes people.

Actually the current usage is to say...'People with autism' 'People with mobility problems' 'People with Learning disabilities'.....my son uses up half an ink carton for every letter the Learning Disability Team sends out.

We miss the point if we focus too much on the title.
And waste energy.
For me the G8 conference has demonstrated that which the Governments involved did NOT want to hear....SOCIAL CARE.

They would rather put the money into research and keep on ignoring the need for SOCIAL CARE...so that each person...is helped to live their life, supported and helped, from cradle to grave.

 

[MissisT]

We miss the point if we focus too much on the title.
And waste energy.
For me the G8 conference has demonstrated that which the Governments involved did NOT want to hear....SOCIAL CARE.

They would rather put the money into research and keep on ignoring the need for SOCIAL CARE...so that each person...is helped to live their life, supported and helped, from cradle to grave.

I couldn't agree more. They avoid the issue totally, talking only about how much is spent on research and ignoring the cost of caring. Not that they are really ignoring it as that is the reason they want to find a cure - they just don't want to face the real issues.

Cynical? Moi? Yes.