Suppose I lose It Radio 4

[nae sporran]

I heard a trailer on Radio 4 yesterday for this programme where Joan Bakewell talks about her fears of losing her intellectual abilities as she gets older. May be interesting. It's Tuesday at 8pm.

 

[jaymor]

I heard a trailer on Radio 4 yesterday for this programme where Joan Bakewell talks about her fears of losing her intellectual abilities as she gets older. May be interesting. It's Tuesday at 8pm.

I think Prunella Scales is making a contribution too. She was dealing with her dementia when she filmed her canal boat travels with her husband Timothy West not so long ago.

Jay

 

[stanleypj]

I meant to listen but forgot all about it. Will have to get ot on iplayer.

There's a good article about it in today's Guardian:

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/dec/16/dementia-diagnosis-ageing-society-joan-bakewel-prunella-scales?commentpage=1

 

[nae sporran]

I meant to listen but forgot all about it. Will have to get ot on iplayer.

There's a good article about it in today's Guardian:

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/dec/16/dementia-diagnosis-ageing-society-joan-bakewel-prunella-scales?commentpage=1

Thanks for the link Stanley, a good article. It is the stigma that seems to stop so many people from getting help I think. I missed the programme after posting the trailer, but not sure my partner will listen to it with me on iPlayer as she does not like the idea of being mad, as she puts it herself. I will catch it when she is sleeping.
On a slightly different but related topic. We were chatting to a lady in a café yesterday who admitted in conversation she had had a few problems with depression and mental illness, partner's daughter was shocked she admitted it and said later we should watch her in future as she could be dangerous.
If more programmes like this and media coverage they generate can address and confront that stigma about dementia and mental health then well done to Joan Bakewell and Radio 4.

 

[Izzy]

I didn't hear the programme but I think there may have been a contribution from Grommit on it -

http://forum.alzheimers.org.uk/show...lose-it&p=1033452&highlight=Radio#post1033452

 

[Yanni]

I heard it and found it stimulating though my OH left the room as he obviously didn't want to be reminded of what is happening to him.

I did feel that they were talking about the over 80s (my OH is 72, diagnosed for 5 years) and presented it as little more than a mild inconvenience. I'm all for concentrating on the positive and living well with dementia but, as is demonstrated by the many postings on TP, that often isn't possible and it is much more than losing your hearing aids and mild inconvenience. I think the programme failed to look at this and at the impact on carers. But it was an interesting start.

 

[Cheesecake4242]

Here's the link (i cant post links until I have posted 10 times);

Go to bbc.co.uk

Then add a forward slash after uk and then this number;

b04v383w

 

[AlsoConfused]

Forgive the cynicism creeping in ... the "elephant in the room" no-one wants to mention in programmes like these is the sheer cost of providing support to anyone who needs it virtually 24 / 7 for years. If you only publicise the minor problems experienced by people with dementia you can collude in the pretence that unpaid family care will be enough.

In my family, the reality is that one carer (even with family support) can't provide enough help for someone with middle - late stage dementia. Trying to do so is unendingly exhausting and often traumatic.

The paid carer costs for self-funders of ordinary means is financially crippling ... for many, a lifetime's savings will only fund a few months care for one partner at the level that's needed. The state evades responsibilities government and local government previously accepted as theirs ... the state can't afford (or doesn't want to fund) the real costs of looking after chronically ill and frail citizens.

I'm worried about what happens 20 years in the future, when I shall need care.

 

[gringo]

Well, I listened to the whole thing. Nearly gave up after the first 10 mins, listening to a bunch of luvvies worrying about not remembering their lines. But it did get better and towards the end was beginning to approach the real issues.
But once again I found myself wishing that someone in Alz. Soc. would introduce the BBC. to TP. Perhaps then the scales would fall from their eyes, as they read some of the heart-breaking stories we read everyday.
Then, maybe, we could get a proper grown-up programme on the subject, telling it like it really is.

 

[Pickles53]

Well, I listened to the whole thing. Nearly gave up after the first 10 mins, listening to a bunch of luvvies worrying about not remembering their lines. But it did get better and towards the end was beginning to approach the real issues.
But once again I found myself wishing that someone in Alz. Soc. would introduce the BBC. to TP. Perhaps then the scales would fall from their eyes, as they read some of the heart-breaking stories we read everyday.
Then, maybe, we could get a proper grown-up programme on the subject, telling it like it really is.

I agree gringo. While it is inspiring to hear stories of people who are managing to 'live well with dementia' I think it does tend to create the impression that it's not that hard to cope with. If you can afford the full-time care support that a celebrity can, so many of the practical day-to-day problems that exhaust most carers are surely much easier to manage.

 

[nae sporran]

Sorry everybody, I thought this would be an interesting insight into dementia for the wider public in support of awareness campaigns like Purple Angel. It did touch on some of these areas, but have to agree that it was a little too superficial.

 

[Ghost]

Suppose I lose it

I listened to this program and I too very nearly gave up after about the first 10-15 minutes. Both my husband and I took part in this program and so I continued to listen.
It is not a walk in the park living with Alzheimer's and I can assure you it's very scary, messy because you dont know what to expect. It's also like livings with a long bereavement that has no closure. No one call tell what is going to happen next because they say everyone is different!

What happens if I have also got this dreadful disease, how will I look after my partner and myself. Who will look after me when I need care as well.
I wish to goodness someone in the medical field could be more forthcoming and say this is what will begin to happen next so you are prepared.

 

[Ghost]

Thanks for the link Stanley, a good article. It is the stigma that seems to stop so many people from getting help I think. I missed the programme after posting the trailer, but not sure my partner will listen to it with me on iPlayer as she does not like the idea of being mad, as she puts it herself. I will catch it when she is sleeping.
On a slightly different but related topic. We were chatting to a lady in a café yesterday who admitted in conversation she had had a few problems with depression and mental illness, partner's daughter was shocked she admitted it and said later we should watch her in future as she could be dangerous.
If more programmes like this and media coverage they generate can address and confront that stigma about dementia and mental health then well done to Joan Bakewell and Radio 4.

People with Dementia / Alzheimer's are NOT MAD - don't be so insulting

 

[nitram]

"Here's the link (i cant post links until I have posted 10 times);

Go to bbc.co.uk

Then add a forward slash after uk and then this number;

b04v383w"

Link is

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04vdnbv

 

[nae sporran]

People with Dementia / Alzheimer's are NOT MAD - don't be so insulting

Sorry for any offence Ghost. I only meant to say my partner feels that having dementia means she is mad, I try to reassure her every time that she is definitely not mad. Very sorry if I gave you the wrong impression.

 

[BeckyJan]

I wish to goodness someone in the medical field could be more forthcoming and say this is what will begin to happen next so you are prepared.

Having been through this journey with my husband and sharing with many others both locally and on TP, none of our journeys have been the same.

I doubt whether any of us could be 'forthcoming on what will happen next' so its highly unlikely any medic could do the same.

It is very very difficult as we all face different problems and the strength of TP is that most of us understand that.

 

[Grannie G]

People with Dementia / Alzheimer's are NOT MAD - don't be so insulting

I doubt anyone on TP would refer to people with dementia as mad. However both my husband and my mother were afraid others would think they were `mad` and this is how I read NaSporran`s post.

 

[Oxy]

Until the bare bones are laid out in the public domain there will never be any true comprehension of all aspects of the dementias. Nobody can predict what will happen due to the complexity of the brain and what areas are damaged but guidance is non existent. The regular tests done come with no feedback and are performed to tick a box and say you've done it.
As for effect on carers -who cares-they save us some dosh. Ill thought out as it could mean that younger carers end up on lifelong benefits as a result. A saving? Hardly. They don't think beyond the end of their noses (government and agencies).
Culture needs changing towards a dementia and that will be slow because many patients, though by no means exclusively, are beyond working age.
Little faith in change being imminent im afraid. I could witter on and on.....