Dementia: Lead on the evening news

[Grahamstown]

The leading report on the BBC news this evening was dementia and the terrible experience of family members caring for the sufferer. It was my life anyway and will it bear fruit? The cost was outlined which was quite shocking.

 

[nitram]

Watch BBC evening news from start

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000cf88/bbc-news-at-six-18122019

 

[Louise7]

I've posted a link to the full film in this thread: https://forum.alzheimers.org.uk/thr...illing-me-its-exhaustion.119502/#post-1683107

 

[Marnie63]

The cases highlighted were at least shown in a realistic way, something we don't see very often. The last bit made me cry.

 

[Rosettastone57]

It's good that it's first on the news for once. But I didnt like it when they said the home might have to be sold to fund residential care - and then cut to the wife/carer saying how much she'd been quoted. That is misleading - the house is protected while she lives there. I don't like scaremongering, for various reasons.

I agree, I saw this and there was no mention of disregards with the carer still in the home. Totally misleading ,even down to fees quoted.

 

[Sirena]

It was a brilliant piece, very well done - I have never seen dementia portrayed so honestly in the mainstream media.

One lady quoted fees of £1800 a week, which is possible for high-end dementia nursing care (I think her husband had Parkinsons and other medical conditions too) but I've never seen those prices, even the the SE, for plain dementia care. My mother pays £800 pw.

Re the house, I know it wasn't entirely clear, but the lady said that she would no longer be able to afford to live in the house "because they would take all John's money" - presumably his savings/pension, so while she could stay in the house she couldn't afford to and would have to downsize (that's what I took her to mean anyway). Would have been good to have it spelt out though.

 

[Izzy]

The last bit made me cry.

Me too. I don't often watch programmes about dementia now but I watched this report. My heart just went out to the two families. It brought it all back to me. I hope people watched and saw that dementia is not just about having a bad memory.

 

[Bunpoots]

I was reduced to tears. It was hard looking after my dad but what these people go through looking after a partner...I can't imagine how hard it is.

 

[Mustang66]

It's good that it's first on the news for once. But I didnt like it when they said the home might have to be sold to fund residential care - and then cut to the wife/carer saying how much she'd been quoted. That is misleading - the house is protected while she lives there. I don't like scaremongering, for various reasons.

If your under pension age, can no longer work you live on any savings you have accumulated all your life then downsize to keep going

 

[Grannie G]

It upset me too because it was so realistic and brought back painful memories.

I hope more viewers watch the news and will have seen it is as it is, when they might avoid watching scheduled programmes about dementia.

 

[Gillywilly]

Yes the caring part for a loved one dying from Alzheimer’s is terrible I can’t tell you how bad it was with my mother who I only lost in August but you know I done my best for her and it was an honour to be the person who helped feed her as she was particularly about that. But I am shocked about how much the cost is in England as we live in Scotland where care is free unless you live alone and go into a home then they sell it unless a family member has bought it for 7 years. I think people have enough to deal with without worrying about the cost. It’s really funny but don’t take this the wrong way and I don’t mean any malice by this comment by in this country it’s all cancer cancer cancer yes it’s a terrible disease but look at Alzheimer’s MND MS these are all horrible to.

 

[Soroptimist]

It was a brilliant piece, very well done - I have never seen dementia portrayed so honestly in the mainstream media.

One lady quoted fees of £1800 a week, which is possible for high-end dementia nursing care (I think her husband had Parkinsons and other medical conditions too) but I've never seen those prices, even the the SE, for plain dementia care. My mother pays £800 pw.

Re the house, I know it wasn't entirely clear, but the lady said that she would no longer be able to afford to live in the house "because they would take all John's money" - presumably his savings/pension, so while she could stay in the house she couldn't afford to and would have to downsize (that's what I took her to mean anyway). Would have been good to have it spelt out though.

My mum pays £1300. I visited over 10 dementia homes around where she lives, and the average was around £1200. There were much higher figures quoted than this, for care without nursing (it gets seriously bumped up if nursing is required) There were a couple under £1000. It's the Midlands, so I don't know if that's an expensive area. I would really like to see a report on fees for dementia for those who self fund....

 

[Soroptimist]

Yes the caring part for a loved one dying from Alzheimer’s is terrible I can’t tell you how bad it was with my mother who I only lost in August but you know I done my best for her and it was an honour to be the person who helped feed her as she was particularly about that. But I am shocked about how much the cost is in England as we live in Scotland where care is free unless you live alone and go into a home then they sell it unless a family member has bought it for 7 years. I think people have enough to deal with without worrying about the cost. It’s really funny but don’t take this the wrong way and I don’t mean any malice by this comment by in this country it’s all cancer cancer cancer yes it’s a terrible disease but look at Alzheimer’s MND MS these are all horrible to.

If the government treated dementia with the same seriousness than they treat cancer, carers and sufferers would be in a much better position!

 

[marionq]

Yes the caring part for a loved one dying from Alzheimer’s is terrible I can’t tell you how bad it was with my mother who I only lost in August but you know I done my best for her and it was an honour to be the person who helped feed her as she was particularly about that. But I am shocked about how much the cost is in England as we live in Scotland where care is free unless you live alone and go into a home then they sell it unless a family member has bought it for 7 years. I think people have enough to deal with without worrying about the cost. It’s really funny but don’t take this the wrong way and I don’t mean any malice by this comment by in this country it’s all cancer cancer cancer yes it’s a terrible disease but look at Alzheimer’s MND MS these are all horrible to.

Please don’t give the impression care is free in Scotland. This is not true. Personal care is free ie washing and dressing for those in need. Care in a nursing home is subject to the same rigour as elsewhere.

 

[Amelie5a]

This is a link to last night's 6 pm news bulletin where Dementia was the lead item.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000cf88/bbc-news-at-six-18122019

(The link towards the top of this thread took me somewhere else on iplayer)

 

[Sirena]

My mum pays £1300. I visited over 10 dementia homes around where she lives, and the average was around £1200. There were much higher figures quoted than this, for care without nursing (it gets seriously bumped up if nursing is required) There were a couple under £1000. It's the Midlands, so I don't know if that's an expensive area. I would really like to see a report on fees for dementia for those who self fund....

It doesn't sound dissimilar to this area. Many CHs round here charge around £1200 pw, so at £800 my mother is in one of the less expensive CHs. She self funds, and self funders subside LA clients - the LA rate is £506 pw.

I am sure London is mega expensive though with rates far in excess of what I've experienced.

 

[Rosettastone57]

It was a brilliant piece, very well done - I have never seen dementia portrayed so honestly in the mainstream media.

One lady quoted fees of £1800 a week, which is possible for high-end dementia nursing care (I think her husband had Parkinsons and other medical conditions too) but I've never seen those prices, even the the SE, for plain dementia care. My mother pays £800 pw.

Re the house, I know it wasn't entirely clear, but the lady said that she would no longer be able to afford to live in the house "because they would take all John's money" - presumably his savings/pension, so while she could stay in the house she couldn't afford to and would have to downsize (that's what I took her to mean anyway). Would have been good to have it spelt out though.

In the Daily Mail today, one of the couples on the BBC have also featured , with the wife saying she can't afford the £7000 a month care fees for her husband. She has told the newspaper she has to take out a loan against her house to pay for his care. It's giving the impression that this is the only way to get the help he needs. No mention of financial assessment, social services....

 

[nitram]

Interesting report on LA rates for residential care.

https://forum.alzheimers.org.uk/threads/langbuisson-report-on-la-residential-care-rates.118903/

 

[Tiller Girl]

My mum pays £1300. I visited over 10 dementia homes around where she lives, and the average was around £1200. There were much higher figures quoted than this, for care without nursing (it gets seriously bumped up if nursing is required) There were a couple under £1000. It's the Midlands, so I don't know if that's an expensive area. I would really like to see a report on fees for dementia for those who self fund....

Are we talking per week or per month ?

my husband has had dementia for about 8 years now. I was quoted £850 per week for respite and the minimum they do is 2 weeks at a time.

It’s diabolical really. I think we should get 6 weeks free respite per year. I think that’s what they get in Ireland and all care is free in Scotland

 

[marionq]

Are we talking per week or per month ?

my husband has had dementia for about 8 years now. I was quoted £850 per week for respite and the minimum they do is 2 weeks at a time.

It’s diabolical really. I think we should get 6 weeks free respite per year. I think that’s what they get in Ireland and all care is free in Scotland

Please stop Saying all care is free in Scotland as this is totally untrue. My husband had a weeks respite in July at a veteran care home outside Glasgow at a cost to me of £1103. In October he was entitled to two weeks subsidised respite from Glasgow Council in the same home at a cost of £139.50 per week. Some other councils across the UK allow more than 2 weeks. Once again can I emphasise that the only free care in Scotland is for personal care where there is a referred need and covers washing and dressing in the morning not live in care.