The continuing healthcare con

[stanleypj]

Cameron says Alzheimer's is a DISEASE. Twice!!

Just watching PQMs. A good question from Tory MP asking amongst other things for more money for research. Cameron's reply will, I am sure, be read carefully by all of us.

 

[FifiMo]

Hiya Stanley,

Can you check the link that you posted above for me as it isn't one to a petition but. To a thread in the tearoom about songs? I'm confused. LOL

Thanks,

Fiona

 

[stanleypj]

Thanks for pointing this out Fiona. Have now corrected the link.

 

[uselessdaughter]

I'd agree with that. TP is a support forum, not a campaigning one. I don't feel the two sit well together.

There is in fact a TP forum called 'Raising Awareness and Campaigning'.

Erm - I think this thread is already in Raising awareness and campaigning forum as opposed to the main support forum

i.e.

Forum - Information and resources - Raising awareness and campaigning - The continuing healthcare con

which reads just below the line where it says New Posts - Today's Post etc.

I might have misunderstood though.

Linda

 

[FifiMo]

Trying to be helpful...

I have just read through this thread and had a look at the petition in post 1. I can understand the concerns that it doesn't seem to be getting much support, so I offer the following observations that might help...

Firstly, the use of the word con in the title is not helpful or professional.

The main body of text reads as a rant and not a petition. Nowhere does it say who the petition is aimed at. It doesn't say what the petition is asking for. Change in policy? Change in guidance? Change in law?

Normally petitions start along the lines of..

We the undersigned hereby ask the UK Government to carry out a fundamental review of the Continuing Health Care provisions and the supporting guidance to ensure there is continuity of assessment and award throughout the UK. In addition, we would request that recent legal judgements are taken into consideration when carrying out the review.

At present....[add details of the current system and why it is considered to be flawed. ]

The petition should be factual and as much as everyone might be incensed and feel there is a current injustice, including personal viewpoints can mean that those who don't share your views on that particular point will not support the petition.

Maybe you should all work together to come up with an agreed form of words and start a new petition under a new thread. You might find this site useful in terms of what to do to make it successful. http://www.resourcecentre.org.uk/information/publicity/info_pdf/petition.pdf

Hope this helps,

Fiona

 

[Ariesgirl58]

Just signed the petition.

 

[stanleypj]

Cameron says Alzheimer's is a DISEASE. Twice!! MORE

I will see if I can find a proper transcript but this is from the live text commentary:

'Tracey Crouch (Con, a little nervous) asks what the government is doing to support those with dementia. Cameron says we need to treat it like we do heart disease or strokes.'

This is exactly what many of us have been saying, isn't it?

 

[FifiMo]

Stanley,

I think this is what you are referring to...


From Hansard:

Tracey Crouch (Chatham and Aylesford) (Con):
Figures published yesterday show that over the past 20 years there has been a 137% increase in the number of deaths linked to Alzheimer’s disease. Does the Prime Minister agree that if we are to stop that awful condition from afflicting more people in the future, we must invest much more in preventing it and on research in particular? Will he outline to the House what the Government are doing to help support those with dementia and those who care for them?

The Prime Minister:
My hon. Friend raises a point of concern to everyone in this House and everyone in this country, because no one knows when a relative could be afflicted by the condition. Her point is absolutely right: this is a disease and we should be thinking about it as a disease, as we do when we try to crack cancer, or heart disease, or strokes. That is why the Government are increasing the amount of money going into medical research so that we can try to prevent dementia in more cases. But there are many other things we need to do to improve the care in care homes and in hospitals and to ensure that we have more dementia-friendly communities so that we all learn how to deal with people who have dementia and how to help them lead lives that are as productive as possible.

http://www.parliament.uk/business/p...mons/todays-commons-debates/read/unknown/100/



Fiona

 

[stanleypj]

Many thanks Fiona.

I wonder if people believe him?

 

[Emma F]

Turned down for Continuing Healthcare for my Dad

Signed the epetition and will forward the link to all my contacts.

On advice of GP and Pyschiatrist I employed live in carer for my Dad as he is not safe alone - will walk straight into road / try to fill toaster with water not the kettle, doesn't know he needs food and water and can't look after personal hygiene or toilet needs. Now nearly run out of money and have been turned down for CH funding. Apparently he has no primary healthcare needs and according to the lady from the PCT he may get better. Has there been new research I am not aware of or is the lady just extremely callous and misinformed?

The regulations state that the PCT have to assess for funding as if no care was in place. But because I have put care in place there is no 'evidence' to prove that he would have starved without care. At what point in our life does the need to have food and water no longer become a health need? If a mother didn't feed her baby she would be abusing the baby, but if I leave my father without care, and therefore without food and water (he is sometimes unable to get a glass of water even whilst I am describing to him how to turn the tap on) then that is acceptable????? So a baby is quite rightly valued as a human being and the need for food is recognised, but somehow by the time you become elderly and suffer from Alzheimer's you no longer require food as a human being? I thought there was such a thing as human rights. I assumed they included food and water. I didn't know these stopped when you develop Alzheimer's. I am learning fast!

 

[stanleypj]

Welcome to TP Emma. I agree entirely. Very well put.

 

[Emma F]

How do we get Alzheimer's recognised as a disease?

In light of Cameron's recent admission that Alzheimer's is a disease how do we go about getting the law changed so that people suffering from Alzheimer's have their basic human rights and needs recognised?

Have only begun realising today after trawling the internet what a huge problem this is!

 

[stanleypj]

That's a question most of us would like to have the answer to. No-ne on her, I think, would deny that it's a disease but, sadly, not everyone agrees that it should be treated like other diseases with treatment 'free at the point of care'.

In your case, as in so many others including mine, the person with dementia would die if they weren't fed and watered. How can that not be a health issue?

 

[jan.s]

I think that to most people, who have no experience of AD and dementia, it just means that the person has become forgetful. I was at a quiz, when someone at the table made a joke about being forgetful, so was getting AD - I was not amused. I quietly let him know later in the evening!!

The root of the problem is lack of information to all people - I admit, I knew little about AD until my husband was diagnosed, and then I thought it wasn't going to be like that for us; it is!!

All the time people are under the impression that AD means that you become forgetful, it will be seen as a social problem. It is only when they become aggressive through frustration or agitation, that it is seen as a health issue, and then people run round like headless chickens. (I know there are many other aspects too, that qualify as a health issue)

Most TV programmes sanitise the effects of AD, and while it is a step forward for it to be actually acknowledged, until the full impact is shown and people are made aware of all the issues surrounding AD, it will always be a social issue.

This has turned into my rant now. Sorry.

Jan

 

[stanleypj]

Half listening to the George Osborne interview this AM. I heard him say that the 'Dilnot Threshold' due to be introduced in 2017 will now be introduced in 2016 and reduced! By £3000 to £72000.

I guess we're all grateful for small mercies. But when you consider that Dilnot originally proposed a£35000 threshold, it's not that much of a concession.

But the interesting question is why is it being changed so quickly after first being announced? Perhaps the initial amount was set deliberately high so that they could reduce it later and look as though they are responsive. The same with 2017 to 2016. Why not 2013?

All very odd.

 

[Flooz]

Politics Stanley, and as you suggest, done in such a way to make us feel that we've got more out of them than originally planned.

 

[leelee]

1 petition for change

Why aren't more people signing this?

I signed a couple of weeks ago but can't see that many more people have!

Go on, do it now!

 

[LYN T]

Sorry I missed the original thread. I have signed it now

Lyn T

 

[leelee]

NHS funding

Hi Flooz

I can't quite make out what is going on with this! When I signed the petition a couple of weeks ago there were around 300+ signatures, this doesn't seem to have increased much since then!

I would have thought people would be signing up in their droves for this, but not so. Why? NOT MUCH HOPE FOR CHANGE IF NO ONE SIGNS!!!

Any suggestions as to how to push this to the top of the postings? Would the wording of the title help? Suggestions please.

Lee

Politics Stanley, and as you suggest, done in such a way to make us feel that we've got more out of them than originally planned.

 

[piedwarbler]

I think I've just signed it.