Hello Norman
I know I remain a bit naive despite all the experiences but feel I have to - as when you look at the statistics it is depressing. It will never be possible for any agencies to provide enough services to give all people with dementia and carers a little quality of life let alone a good qualty of life.
Look at any county , at the population figure and work out the number of people with dementia, then think about the number of support workers at Crossroads and the like ????????
The only way forward is to expand these services of course but also to help people & their families & wider families help themsleves more and also assist other community groups - non specialised ones to welcome people who may need some support. The time for lateral thinking in care and social services has come I think.
The 'greying population' or aging population and the accompanying increase in numbers of people with dementia is forcing the issue. Already there is talk of going away from traditional day care centres - as providing enough is becoming too costly. A cheaper alternative is providing services 'in the community' - but we are being sold this idea because 'we' have said we prefer services in our own homes rather than in institutions. Similarly 'we' have said we want to live in our own homes for as long as possible and not gointo a care home. I'm sure htat is true for nearly all who have a partner but the loneliness of all those living living alone in the later stages of dementia doesnt bear thinking about.
What else can we do to help - in the early stages, middle stages and later stages of dementia. ??
I know I remain a bit naive despite all the experiences but feel I have to - as when you look at the statistics it is depressing. It will never be possible for any agencies to provide enough services to give all people with dementia and carers a little quality of life let alone a good qualty of life.
Look at any county , at the population figure and work out the number of people with dementia, then think about the number of support workers at Crossroads and the like ????????
The only way forward is to expand these services of course but also to help people & their families & wider families help themsleves more and also assist other community groups - non specialised ones to welcome people who may need some support. The time for lateral thinking in care and social services has come I think.
The 'greying population' or aging population and the accompanying increase in numbers of people with dementia is forcing the issue. Already there is talk of going away from traditional day care centres - as providing enough is becoming too costly. A cheaper alternative is providing services 'in the community' - but we are being sold this idea because 'we' have said we prefer services in our own homes rather than in institutions. Similarly 'we' have said we want to live in our own homes for as long as possible and not gointo a care home. I'm sure htat is true for nearly all who have a partner but the loneliness of all those living living alone in the later stages of dementia doesnt bear thinking about.
What else can we do to help - in the early stages, middle stages and later stages of dementia. ??
