"How not to solve the dementia Crisis"

[tre]

Article by Rose George in todays Guardian ( please will someone who knows how put on a link) is spot on as far as I am concerned. We were told exactly the same at daiagnosis " we never know for sure until we do an autopsy". We had an Admiral Nurse here in Herts for one year- everyone thought it was brilliant but funding went in the cuts

Tre

 

[jeany123]

Is this the link
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/oct/28/solve-dementia-crisis-paying-gps

 

[Grannie G]

Thanks for highlighting this tre and Jeany.

We are delivered a bonus when journalists report about their personal experiences of dementia. It carries so much weight.

 

[Sue J]

I was told exactly the same by my neurologist 'You don't have a brain tumour', he might as well have said 'Go away and die' because his attitude only added to my problems which were more than severe enough to start with. If and when I do get a diagnosis to think that the GP will get £55 for it makes me feel like that's how much a dementia sufferer's life is worth. I'm sure most GPs don't agree with it, if any.

 

[tre]

Instead of the £55 diagnosis bonus going to GPs how about it going to fund more Admiral Nurses?
Tre

 

[stanleypj]

Admiral Nurses are brilliant - when you can find one.

All this talk about dementia awareness, early diagnosis, a national strategy....

One of the simplest and best ways to improve the lot of carer and cared for would be to massively increase the number of Admiral Nurses.

'a study by Norfolk NHS Trust found that an Admiral Nurse saved the health service £443,593 in a year, in reduced contact with GPs and nurses, and in the eight mental health bed referrals that were avoided.'

So there's even a straight answer to the question: Where's the money coming from?

 

[jeany123]

Instead of the £55 diagnosis bonus going to GPs how about it going to fund more Admiral Nurses?
Tre

Excellant idea Tre, this would help,

 

[gringo]

Oh Sue! I don’t think anybody could have put the whole stupid political nonsense into words better than you have done.
We all deal with exactly the kind of situation, described in the article, on a daily basis. It's not news to us.
I'm sure the Admiral nurses are as great as people say, but they may as well be on the moon as far as I'm concerned. They're just a mirage. Only a minority get to experience their expertise.
As I have said many many times, the only resource, of any value, the majority of us have is TP..
It only goes to show how dire the situation is, when all we have to sustain us is a virtual support forum.

 

[Onlyme]

Instead of flowers at the funeral we asked for donations to Admiral nurses.

 

[Spamar]

We don't have admiral nurses but we do have good voluntary services. However if the £55 is not given to the gp but to provide help to those already diagnosed, not just admiral nurses but all the great work done by various Carers groups, that just might be acceptable.
By the way, there's an article in the daily mail today that tells dementia a bit more like it is ( or can be).

 

[PeggySmith]

Here's the DM article. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2810200/It-hits-thousands-30s-40s-50s-written-menopause-stress-depression-s-not-just-old-risk-dementia.html

 

[Spamar]

Thanks Peggy!