I watched the programme too and felt that Timothy West was brave to talk about his wife's illness. The shots of her in the audience were sad as she had the 'empty eyed' look which my Mum now has a lot of the time. Despite this she looked to be proud of her husband as he talked about her. My Gran had Alzheimers over 30 years ago and little was ever said on the subject then. Anything which raises awareness of this dreadful disease should be encouraged.
Timothy West Prunella Scales Alzheimer’s.
- Thread starter jimbo 111
- Start date
'We are all different' and thank God for that. Over the years I looked after my late wife as
far as I was concerned her illness was between us.
From the beginning I was aware that I was slowly losing her. Each change/loss was a painful learning curve. All the more reason to let her know how much she was wanted and loved.
Caring alone 24/7 year on year till the end proved extremely edifying along the way. Like every thing in life, there's a down side, there was no time for anyone else. Now I reap what I've sown. As I live alone and rarely see or speak to anyone with the exception of our daughter. Now she's away in Spain for the holidays, what to do? Carry on as normal.
Normal for me is to live from day to day and be ready for the next of life's challenges.
Just recovering from a bad fall when out running; took the full force of the fall on the left side of my chest. Almost two weeks and I can breath better and had a good run this morning. That molar tooth been giving my hell, just fell out this morning. Life's good.
Have a wonderful Christmas. Time and love are the most precious gifts to offer.
far as I was concerned her illness was between us.
From the beginning I was aware that I was slowly losing her. Each change/loss was a painful learning curve. All the more reason to let her know how much she was wanted and loved.
Caring alone 24/7 year on year till the end proved extremely edifying along the way. Like every thing in life, there's a down side, there was no time for anyone else. Now I reap what I've sown. As I live alone and rarely see or speak to anyone with the exception of our daughter. Now she's away in Spain for the holidays, what to do? Carry on as normal.
Normal for me is to live from day to day and be ready for the next of life's challenges.
Just recovering from a bad fall when out running; took the full force of the fall on the left side of my chest. Almost two weeks and I can breath better and had a good run this morning. That molar tooth been giving my hell, just fell out this morning. Life's good.
Have a wonderful Christmas. Time and love are the most precious gifts to offer.
Hello
I am the ‘berk ‘who started this thread
I admit I just posted without having any prior opinions of the celebrities involved only that I saw the logic of being careful what one said in front of those with dementia , and their carers I wish now I had done a bit more research before I made the post
I have since then read pages upon pages about the good publicity that Timothy West and Prunela Scales have given to Alzheimers and the endorsements provided by the Alzheimer’s Society
I only wonder why I had not picked up before all the publicity I eventually found
It may well be that I have a slight aversion to many of the ’public relations' that many celebrities do just to enhance their own image , and I will often pass over these articles with perhaps too much cynicism
I can understand the comments made by those who were familiar with the background
I am a bit confused though about when the events took place
The programme I referred to was broadcast on Friday 11th December ( which I have since seen all the way through )
But previous references ,for example
http://forum.alzheimers.org.uk/showthread.php?85350-Prunella-Scales
On 5th August 2015 , seems to be referring to this programme broadcast in December
Morgan added: ‘It was no more powerful an illustration of how awful a disease Alzheimer’s is than for me to talk to someone just after she had watched her husband being interviewed for two hours and she can’t even remember being in the studio. It was an extraordinary moment.’
In January 2013 Miss Scales told the Daily Mail that her short-term memory was fading to the point she could not remember whether she had just made herself a cup of coffee.
She said she struggled to remember the year either of her two sons were born, or what year she married Mr West.
From a personal point of view I thought the programme (Dec11th)was well balanced and was not heavily over laden with the personality of Prunella Scales
Though I must admit ,until I saw the programme I have always said I wouldn’t watch or read anything Piers Morgan did , even if they paid me
Happy to have been proved wrong (again)
Merry Xmas
jimbo
I am the ‘berk ‘who started this thread
I admit I just posted without having any prior opinions of the celebrities involved only that I saw the logic of being careful what one said in front of those with dementia , and their carers I wish now I had done a bit more research before I made the post
I have since then read pages upon pages about the good publicity that Timothy West and Prunela Scales have given to Alzheimers and the endorsements provided by the Alzheimer’s Society
I only wonder why I had not picked up before all the publicity I eventually found
It may well be that I have a slight aversion to many of the ’public relations' that many celebrities do just to enhance their own image , and I will often pass over these articles with perhaps too much cynicism
I can understand the comments made by those who were familiar with the background
I am a bit confused though about when the events took place
The programme I referred to was broadcast on Friday 11th December ( which I have since seen all the way through )
But previous references ,for example
http://forum.alzheimers.org.uk/showthread.php?85350-Prunella-Scales
On 5th August 2015 , seems to be referring to this programme broadcast in December
Morgan added: ‘It was no more powerful an illustration of how awful a disease Alzheimer’s is than for me to talk to someone just after she had watched her husband being interviewed for two hours and she can’t even remember being in the studio. It was an extraordinary moment.’
In January 2013 Miss Scales told the Daily Mail that her short-term memory was fading to the point she could not remember whether she had just made herself a cup of coffee.
She said she struggled to remember the year either of her two sons were born, or what year she married Mr West.
From a personal point of view I thought the programme (Dec11th)was well balanced and was not heavily over laden with the personality of Prunella Scales
Though I must admit ,until I saw the programme I have always said I wouldn’t watch or read anything Piers Morgan did , even if they paid me
Happy to have been proved wrong (again)
Merry Xmas
jimbo
Aw bless you Jimbo, you're a lovely fella and certainly not a "berk".
Although I am not a fan of Piers Morgan I did watch the programme and what affected me most was when the camera picked up Prunella, she had such a sad, empty, confused, lost expression, ie the expression that most of us are familiar with as we care for our loved ones the best way we can.
I have not read any of the articles referred to but I watched a series of programmes on TV recently which I found interesting because it was based on narrow boat travels through English canals - being in Scotland I had never seen any of those canals. The programme was based on Prunella and Timothy West's lifetime enthusiasm for narrow boat travels; often reminding viewers that she has AZ and needs prompting regarding what to do next. Of course she has AZ but I was amazed that she could function so well - he would be steering the boat and she would clamber up or down steps/ladders so that she would open or close locks, quite strenuous at times - and whilst doing that she was quite a bit away from him so he must have had good faith that she would not fall in the canal. I remember wishing that my OH could function like that - we would have a very different lifestyle and so would many here on TP.
Although I am not a fan of Piers Morgan I did watch the programme and what affected me most was when the camera picked up Prunella, she had such a sad, empty, confused, lost expression, ie the expression that most of us are familiar with as we care for our loved ones the best way we can.
I have not read any of the articles referred to but I watched a series of programmes on TV recently which I found interesting because it was based on narrow boat travels through English canals - being in Scotland I had never seen any of those canals. The programme was based on Prunella and Timothy West's lifetime enthusiasm for narrow boat travels; often reminding viewers that she has AZ and needs prompting regarding what to do next. Of course she has AZ but I was amazed that she could function so well - he would be steering the boat and she would clamber up or down steps/ladders so that she would open or close locks, quite strenuous at times - and whilst doing that she was quite a bit away from him so he must have had good faith that she would not fall in the canal. I remember wishing that my OH could function like that - we would have a very different lifestyle and so would many here on TP.
I watched their canal journeys programmes and enjoyed them. I was also amazed how much Prunella did, and said. I presumed she was in the very early stages and also Tim seemed to 'play it down'. But I did notice some decline in the last programme. Yes, that expression, the eyes, we all know well. Loss of confidence, confusion.
Tim and her sons spoke more about the realities on the Piers Morgan programme, giving more of an insight to how she is. How she is slipping away from him and them and what they can no longer share. All the aspects we are so familiar with. I was amazed to hear that she has had Alzheimer's for I think 14 years. It probably was very slow developing until recent years.
I admire the way they try to live life to the best of Prunella's capabilities. But doubt there will be another canal programme. Prunella was struggling more, physically and mentally. Tim is getting a bit past canal steering!
Lots of bumps! Good luck to them though.
We caravanned for years in our little tourer and I always admired couples in their late eighties, used to chat to them and all said they went at their own pace, and imagined Henry and I doing the same well into our eighties. But it was not to be. I do remember watching one couple, early seventies, and it was obvious he had early dementia and how she was quietly organising, directing, encouraging him.
The last time we caravanned Henry was no longer driving, our son-in-law towed the caravan for us to a not too distant caravan park, he and our daughter helped us set it up and erect the awning. Left us and returned to help again and get us home. Henry was very resentful although containing it fairly well.
But the two weeks was an utter disaster. Henry resentful of me driving, very disorientated, confused and could do nothing, had forgotten everything. Very verbally aggressive. I don't know how I got through it!
I said to the manager my husband had dementia, when I needed help replacing the gas bottles. He said "I know. My mother had it".
Sorry, rambling on.
Loo
Tim and her sons spoke more about the realities on the Piers Morgan programme, giving more of an insight to how she is. How she is slipping away from him and them and what they can no longer share. All the aspects we are so familiar with. I was amazed to hear that she has had Alzheimer's for I think 14 years. It probably was very slow developing until recent years.
I admire the way they try to live life to the best of Prunella's capabilities. But doubt there will be another canal programme. Prunella was struggling more, physically and mentally. Tim is getting a bit past canal steering!
Lots of bumps! Good luck to them though. We caravanned for years in our little tourer and I always admired couples in their late eighties, used to chat to them and all said they went at their own pace, and imagined Henry and I doing the same well into our eighties. But it was not to be. I do remember watching one couple, early seventies, and it was obvious he had early dementia and how she was quietly organising, directing, encouraging him.
The last time we caravanned Henry was no longer driving, our son-in-law towed the caravan for us to a not too distant caravan park, he and our daughter helped us set it up and erect the awning. Left us and returned to help again and get us home. Henry was very resentful although containing it fairly well.
But the two weeks was an utter disaster. Henry resentful of me driving, very disorientated, confused and could do nothing, had forgotten everything. Very verbally aggressive. I don't know how I got through it!
I said to the manager my husband had dementia, when I needed help replacing the gas bottles. He said "I know. My mother had it".
Sorry, rambling on.
Loo
It's always surprising to see the extraordinary variation in the way the disease affects different people. We bought a new camper van in 2006 after a break of a few years and from the start Sue was unable to help very much at all - with anything. I do remember her doing some washing up on one site that year and for a year or two she was able to go to have a shower by herself. But we still spent several weeks a year in the van, nearly all abroad. We went to Italy, her favourite country, several times, as well as Hungary, Germany, Austria... every year it felt a bit more like hard work. But I never really considered stopping.
This year we managed two nights in Anglesey in April, not knowing that these would almost certainly be our last nights ever in the van.
This year we managed two nights in Anglesey in April, not knowing that these would almost certainly be our last nights ever in the van.
