Coronation Street

Katy44

Registered User
Sep 14, 2004
134
0
What, that's his next storyline? Could be good if they handle it right, if they perpetrate the myth that AD is about being 'a bit forgetful' then they could do more harm than good. Where did you hear that?
 

Norman

Registered User
Oct 9, 2003
4,348
0
Birmingham Hades
Katy
I didn't hear about Mike Baldwin,I read it on Page28 of the Sunday Mercury.
You can search it on Compuserve,it's there too.
Norman
 

nikita

Registered User
Jul 31, 2004
92
0
corrie

i also read about mike, in sunday newspaper, it would be nice to show the disease all the way through not just early symptoms
 

Sandy

Registered User
Mar 23, 2005
6,847
0
The Archers

Hi All,

I've just recently joined TP, so I don't know if anyone here listens to the Archers on Radio 4.

For the past year or so they have been including scenes where one character, Jack Wooley, has had episodes of forgetfulness. Up until just a few weeks ago these had been fairly minor episodes, but recently the existent of his memory loss and people's reaction to it have become more pronounced.

So far, I think the scripts have been fairly realistic (my father-in-law who is 84 and has AD had been displaying fairly similar signs in the same sort of time frame). The Archers writers have been building the story up very slowly. Other characters have gently mentioned their concern to Jack's wife Peggy, but up until now she has attributed it all to "normal aging" and "tiredness".

In tonight's episode she has agreed with her son that Jack needs to see a doctor, but is wondering how to handle it.

Given the large and loyal listener base that The Archers has, I hope this will be a chance to illustrate the issues involved for people with AD and their families.

Thanks,

Sandy
 

angela.robinson

Registered User
Dec 27, 2004
520
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82
i always feel very uncomfortble when they bring these story lines into the soaps,they may bring awareness ,but up to last year my husband was very aware of his ilness ,but never knew how bad things were going to end up ,nor would i have wanted to ther was about 3 soaps at the time with some kind of dementia,in them ,i was always on pins in case he saw themi stopped watching the programs , it was the same with documentrys,though i tried to tape these ,and watch them when he was in bed, i will watch the corrie one as he is not aware what is going on now ecept he gets angry with the telly if there is fighting or rows ,so that cuts out most programs now ,ANGELA
 

Kriss

Registered User
May 20, 2004
513
0
Shropshire
Angela

I'd quite forgotten the one about fighting on TV. Dad hated it - it must have seemed very real to him - we had to stop watching The Bill and Casualty and stuff like that as there were always confrontations and scuffles. Invariably he would remain upset for some time after.

Kriss
 

Brucie

Registered User
Jan 31, 2004
12,413
0
near London
Jan was the same for many years - and I couldn't figure it out before her final diagnosis.

She also wouldn't read newspapers - presumably partly for the same reason, though her reading abilities were also declining so that will have contributed too.

She would spend hours reading and re-reading the same paragraph, forgetting she had already read it. Or maybe she knew she had read it and was desperately trying to make the content stick in her mind.

All water under my bridges now, otherwise I'd go completely wacko.
 

barraf

Registered User
Mar 27, 2004
308
0
Huddersfield
Coronation Street

Margaret never seemed to associate anything about dementia on TV with herself, even when she was able to comprehend what the programmes were about.

But the business of fighting and argueing upsetting people fits her to a tee, I often have to change stations or turn the set off if there is any violence or shouting as she gets very upset. Thinking that they are in the room with us and we are in danger.

With regard to Coronation Street we can only hope the writers research AD properly and paint a true picture. Difficult I would have thought with the way Soaps are put together, with only snippits of about half a dozen story lines been shown in one programme.

Cheers Barraf
 

Norman

Registered User
Oct 9, 2003
4,348
0
Birmingham Hades
Peg came out with a funny thing tonight ,it was a first.
She asked are we all going to bed?
I said there is only you and me here,she then pointed at the TV and asked who are all those people then ?.
Bit scary
Norman
 

Chris

Registered User
May 20, 2003
243
0
TV in care homes

Reading this thread I'm thinkoing of all the care homes where there are lot sof people in the later years of their dementia - and the TV is blaring out all day ........

A few years ago I was in Mums care home & 100% concentrating on a conversation (of sorts) with Mum, when a voice broke into my thoughts - "I didnt do it , I didnt , it wasnt me " she wailed "I never killed anybody" . I felt so sorry for the distress of this lady - then became aware of the TV , tha ti had succesfully filtered out - it was one of those particularly dramatic episodes of Cornation Street - or was it East enders - anyway - there had been murder ..... it was the first time I found some good evicence for not having TV for some people who have dementia or at least not anything disturbing.

I had noticed that most residents in care homes do not make any eye contact with the TV screen - if thats the case - how can they be having any benefit from the TV being on ???

One care home Mum was in had removed the TVs from all the lounges but most I've been in have TV on a lot of the time.
 

Brucie

Registered User
Jan 31, 2004
12,413
0
near London
Jan's care home has a rule that TV can be on only at certain periods. The rest of the time there are activities, or radio or CDs.

The TV is on, frankly, I think more for the staff than for the residents. I have never seen a single resident WATCH the TV.

I sometimes think that maybe the only positive spin-off for people with dementia is a rearrangement of brain activity such that they realise that TV is pretty much a total waste of time anyway...... ;)
 

karen_white

Registered User
Apr 21, 2004
72
0
Berkshire
Dad has a TV in his room and does enjoy settling down for bed with the TV on and a glass of sherry. On one of my visits recently he was watching tele in his room during he day and they has put The Weakest Link for him to watch!! As you can imagine it was not doing anything for him and he was not looking at it. He's always like the TV so at 6 I turned it over to the Simpsons as it's mostly news at 6. His reaction was instant. I'm assuming it was the colours and more movement on the screen as he was engrossed in it.
I do agree thoughthat the TV is on mostly for the nurses and not the patients.
 

storm

Registered User
Aug 10, 2004
269
0
notts
hi all, i have had a differant experiance with t.v mum seems to come to life when the t.v is on we do have a bit of name calling and inter action but she seems to like this better than talking to people.I have found that she prefares programs that she is familure with even though she forgets halve the chareters. storm
 

karen_white

Registered User
Apr 21, 2004
72
0
Berkshire
Storm, is your mum at home? Dad loved the tele at home and we have hours of 'One Foot in the Grave' and 'Keeping up appearances' on tape as he loved the visuals and found them hilarious. We would play them for ages.
Interesting how people change as the dementia progresses.
Would give anything to hear Dad laugh again.

As Norman says - 'day to day'

xx
 

Izzy

Volunteer Moderator
Aug 31, 2003
73,996
0
72
Dundee
I have to say I agree with Angela - my husband is very aware of what is wrong with him and I don't think either of us would enjoy watching someone else's fictional demise knowing all along that it is likely to be exactly what will be happening to us. I think Corrie will be a no go area when that happens. No big loss mind you!!

Izzt
 

Ruthie

Registered User
Jul 9, 2003
114
0
South Coast
When my husband was still at home he would get very upset if Eastenders came on, or anything where there was violence or arguing - I had to be aware if anything like that was coming up and make sure the TV was off.

After an archive programme (in Black and White) about the First World War, he started talking about how terrible it was, and how they lost a lot of the chaps, just as though he had been there - he was born in 1943! However, his father had been through WW1 and maybe he was reliving something his father had said. I gently tried to tell him that he hadn't been there, but he got quite worked up and insisted that he had. Fortunately my younger son was sensitive enough to say "don't worry, Mum, he isn't upset, let him believe what he wants".

Sadly, my husband now has no interest in television or anything, except that he still seems to get some enjoyment out of music.

Ruthie
 

mandyp

Registered User
Oct 20, 2004
150
0
Glasgow
While I agree that anything that will handle this in a sensitive manner can only be a good thing, it is unfortunate as my Mum loves Corrie and always has. She is aware of what is happening to her and isn't keen to know what the future holds....even programs/news items showing elderly people in care homes upset her, so I think that Corrie will be binned for her, which is a shame since strangely it's one of the few things she remembers! Corrie and things my daughter does/says to her.....guess Dad and I are way down on her list of priorities:)

Lets hope they do it in a way that highlights the issues surrounding care etc... but have to say I don't hold out a lot of hope!