Why I hate ‘The Long Goodbye’

[JohnPops]

I loathe the new commercial for the Society ‘The Long Goodbye’. I think that it reinforces every negative stereotype about dementia, and does nothing whatsoever to help people such as myself living with brain disease. It dismays me that the Society has given it its backing.

Bruce Willis of ’Die Hard’ fame shares with me a diagnosis of degenerative brain disease. This commercial is all about telling people that those of us with such conditions not only die hard, but we die many times in advance of our own actual deaths. I prefer to ‘live well’, or as well as I can do. For this, I need help - and I need a change in attitude from the wider community. But this advertisement will only increase stigma, not lessen it.

The new drugs on the horizon will only work for people in the early stages of disease, so we need to convince people that there is value in seeking early diagnosis. No one watching this ad would want to do that.

I call on the Society to recognise that ’The Long Goodbye’ is a mistake, and to withdraw it.

I'm so sick of seeing ads on TV etc. there is no escape for carers at all. The cinema started posting ads, the metro news running full page dailies
Ffs can we not go a day without this being rammed in our faces

Brilliantly put together and hugely strong in its message showing the despair and seemingly pointless place this disease tries putting families and some of us in..



BUT, as white is to black there is also the other side that very rarely is seen amongst all the darkness… (stars shine only in the blackness of the night), and this is the place you will find me, in the darkness, shining my light wherever I can!

Why…?

Here are my reflections on your new TV advert for Alzheimer’s Society and how it can be a part of our journey!

Dying five times tells us that there were also five lives lived?

Ok, Here is my bag of thoughts on this brilliant BUT controversial advert if you want to take a peek inside…

Firstly, all those friendships formed on her journey. Life long close friendships, all unique, all cherished, all remembered in someone’s heart. Yes the sparks of these memories have gone from her but the friendship of two needs only to be remembered by one to still be a friendship?

Then there are the hundreds upon hundreds of ‘Sunday Roasts’ that were plated up with such care. Cooked for others to enjoy and share a time of ‘Specialness’, which is what you feel when sitting at a table with your loved ones.

A fashion icon that prompted wave after wave of pure happiness and confidence in showing the world how to be one step ahead of cool. How many others there dressed and presented themselves to the world as their inner selves wanted, just because of this lady..?

Then there is having and raising a child, who we can all see has been nurtured and educated enough to be able to feel so much emotion when part of the parent dies, yes this is also a big success, and the deepness of loss is measured by the height of the care and love in that success.

That lady used up every single atom in every single second of her life to the fullest it could be. She clearly lived 100% of her given time here on this Earth and you can see the reflection of her fantastic life in the eyes and hearts of all those at her wake.

Yes there are tears, but you can also see a huge life hanging over the death like a soothing blanket of care and love, shining brightly and reaching into everyone’s hearts, reassuring them that all is ok…

That’s what I see, and that’s why I won’t let a single second of my life be wasted in thinking about the things I used to have or used to be able to do… I refuse to pick up handfuls of my today and throw it over my shoulder backwards into yesterday… but that’s me!

So, now you’ve looked into my bag of personal thoughts, how do YOU feel about your own life, and its possibilities?

I think you all are doing great things.

The people who actively live in Dementia Village need you guys to keep doing what you do, helping us and guiding others towards a future world without Mr. Dementia wandering around in it aimlessly stealing every other persons memories.

Please also remember these are my thoughts only and I know are not shared by some.
Blessings as always, John Pops Hyde

 

[Collywobbles]

Thanks so much for your perspective @JohnPops. Having the insight of a person with dementia is incredibly valuable.

I think there are probably as many different opinions of this ad as there are people with dementia and their carers.