Cure the Care System: our new short film

[HarrietD]

Hi everyone,

Alzheimer's Society has launched a short film ahead of Dementia Action Week, as part of a bold and powerful campaign that we're running next week.

Our flawed social care system means that nearly a million UK families are struggling to take care of their loved ones with the dignity and support they deserve. As I'm sure many of you know, the pandemic has exposed the cracks in the system like never before.

The film echoes the stories that we read and hear every week at Alzheimer's Society, and it reflects the lived experiences of many people.

Content warning: if you're going through a difficult time at the moment, this film is hard-hitting and it may not be the right time for you to watch it. If this is the case for you, please feel free to close this page.

If you'd like to watch the film, please scroll down.

 

[HarrietD]

As mentioned above, here's the video. The actress herself, Kate Dickie, has personal experience of dementia and wanted to be part of telling this story.

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What do you think?

We wanted to give you a space to share your thoughts on the film. Does it reflect your own experience? We'd like to hear what you think, and your honest feedback would be really valuable.

 

[Shedrech]

oh my .... that brought back memories
and a lot of anger
certainly not looking through rose tinted lenses or pretending that it's all 'living well'
I hope that the situation is understood by those who have no experience of dementia .... I find it hard to think back to those days when I had no idea what dementia and caring for someone meant, so not sure how I would have responded then

 

[Sarasa]

An excellent film that explains what living with dementia and caring for someone with dementia really means.

 

[Grannie G]

This film is as real as any could be and made me feel emotional with my own memories and for those going through it now.

 

[nellbelles]

Short but very much to the point! No rose tinted glasses!

 

[jennifer1967]

very, very honest, very true

 

[Izzy]

I thought it was extremely powerful and it brought back so many memories. I was lucky enough to have a good care package for my husband but so much of the film reflected how he was. I

 

[Lone Wolf]

Decided to watch it full of cynicism, but quickly overwhelmed by an emotional flood of tears from troubled memories of the relentless difficulties of caring alone. But sadly, I think that the video will only "preach to the converted" so as to speak. The critical problem with dementia is that only those directly affected really understand the devasting impacts of dementia. But credit to Alzheimer's Society for trying. Would it be possible to add some written quotes and pleads for help taken from this forum? Even having been through it all myself as a lone carer, I still find it upsetting reading the amount of difficulties so many people are enduring every day, as evidenced in their posts on this forum.

 

[AbbyGee]

How and where, please, will this film be shared with the public in general?

 

[Duggies-girl]

Excellent film but it's bought tears to my eyes. Brings a lot back.

 

[Rosettastone57]

This is an excellent film. I get tired of the photos , usually in the care agency adverts , of the person with dementia smiling at their carer who is holding a cup of tea. I'm afraid that my experience is that unless a person sees dementia in action first hand , they have no idea what's involved.

 

[Browny10]

Brilliant film but as several have mentioned you have to live it 24/7 to even begin to understand what it means.
The Queens speech said the government would bring forward measures to reform the operation of the social care system in England. But it did not commit the government to introducing a specific bill to overhaul how the sector is funded. I believe progress on funding can only be achieved in small steps on specific pieces of legislation like council tax discount through this petition https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/572993 which is supported by the Alzheimer's Society's Director of Policy

 

[Lawson58]

I thought the punch line was really critical. As carers, we don't have dementia but it's impact on us is massive and that's what others just don't get.

 

[kindred]

What is it we would like reform to do?
There is the usual talk about funding more care in the community so that family, friends and the community can help people to stay in their own homes, But we know from experience how that breaks down, friends don’t help and .. well, what is the community?
I would like easy to access day care, respite, more council funded nursing homes … not this endless reliance on the word community.
What would we like reform to do? Warmest, kindred aka Geraldine

 

[Louise7]

What is it we would like reform to do?
There is the usual talk about funding more care in the community so that family, friends and the community can help people to stay in their own homes, But we know from experience how that breaks down, friends don’t help and .. well, what is the community?
I would like easy to access day care, respite, more council funded nursing homes … not this endless reliance on the word community.
What would we like reform to do? Warmest, kindred aka Geraldine

@kindred - You might find these links explaining the 'Cure the care system' campaign useful. There are references to the need to ensure that the social care system is reformed so that dementia care is person centred, of good quality and free and easy to access, regardless of where you live:

https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/get-involved/our-campaigns/cure-the-care-system

Cure the Care System petition

 

[kindred]

@kindred - You might find these links explaining the 'Cure the care system' campaign useful. There are references to the need to ensure that the social care system is reformed so that dementia care is person centred, of good quality and free and easy to access, regardless of where you live:

https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/get-involved/our-campaigns/cure-the-care-system

Cure the Care System petition

Yes, thank you I know the document and it’s great. But there is still the talk at government level of community care.
Warmest thank you. Geraldine

 

[Bunpoots]

I’ve shared this with my daughter who will hopefully post it on her campaign page on Facebook. I wonder is something even more hard hitting could be made too - showing the effects of the aggression and violence many carers are left to cope with. Perhaps shock tactics is what’s needed to get any useful support.

I was not pleased yesterday when the “we should all look after our old people as a society” suggestion was used again. I thought it showed complete ignorance of the needs of PWD who make up the majority of people who need residential care.

It’s mental health awareness week - but dementia seems to fall between two stools - it’s a physical, degenerative illness which causes mental health issues in the sufferers and the carers but no-one who should be helping seems to grasp this fact.

Sorry! Rant over..

 

[jennifer1967]

I’ve shared this with my daughter who will hopefully post it on her campaign page on Facebook. I wonder is something even more hard hitting could be made too - showing the effects of the aggression and violence many carers are left to cope with. Perhaps shock tactics is what’s needed to get any useful support.

I was not pleased yesterday when the “we should all look after our old people as a society” suggestion was used again. I thought it showed complete ignorance of the needs of PWD who make up the majority of people who need care.

It’s mental health awareness week - but dementia seems to fall between two stools - it’s a physical, degenerative illness which causes mental health issues in the sufferers and the carers but no-one who should be helping seems to grasp this fact.

Sorry! Rant over..

i was only thinking that last night @Bunpoots that it might be a bit tame. and it still shows an absent minded man who wanders. after a wrote my comment and the things that a lot of us go through, there was no anger from either side just being sad.

 

[DennyD]

it’s a physical, degenerative illness which causes mental health issues in the sufferers and the carers but no-one who should be helping seems to grasp this fact.

I think they do grasp it but don't want to admit to it and I think this, quite simply, comes down to funding. Dementia affects a large number of people and as long as it is classed as a social care need, it costs less to fund.

I would like easy to access day care, respite, more council funded nursing homes … not this endless reliance on the word community.

And this is the crux of it. Access to day care needs to be better especially outside of larger towns and cities. For those carers who have to remain in work there needs to be a substantial level of support from the employer, an area that the Government can help with. Increasing the funding threshold to cover care home residency will help but not for those on low incomes. Too many care homes are run as businesses, asking for top ups that lower income families simply cannot afford. Equally I could also not afford to cover the level required by local authority to cover care services at home.

At the core of caring for dementia is 'person centred', I'm afraid an area although promoted in name, often not viewed in practice, in part again due to lack of funding in supporting an increase in well trained staffing.

Training of staff in dementia care also needs to be addressed and films like this one, showing the personal impact on carers and families should be part of the training.