No longer the pariahs

[hanadr]

Today's publicity about the extent of cases of dementia has taken the eyes off diabetes.
So now Exerciseand weight loss are going to help avoid the new plague.
Hana

 

[IanD]

Today's publicity about the extent of cases of dementia has taken the eyes off diabetes.
So now Exercise and weight loss are going to help avoid the new plague.
Hana

Don't forget the 'healthy eating!'

With all the unemployed youngsters who can't get a job after graduating, there's ever increasing scope for care in their own homes for the elderly.

 

[jopar]

IanD

How dare you insult people who suffer dementia, calling them demented indeed, for your information there are around 96 different types of dementia, from lewi body to Altzhimers, then you get the effects of Strokes that can cause dementia...

And to suggest that any numpty from school leavers can provide care for this section of scoitey, is totally rediculus indeed, as to provide good quaility care you have to have empathy for this group, which many young do not process, and by how you refer them do, nor do you..

I spent 15 years specialising in the care of dementia, and believe me they aren't demented at all, I was also to experience the effects of Altzhimers as I watched my own mum suffer from this disease..

And one of the reasons that dementia seems to be on the increase is one simple fact, a lot of people are living a lot longer than they used to, and before you start to insulting this group of people, just think you might yet succome to one of the many dememtia diseases! So think very carefully who and how one might want to be cared for if faced with this plight!

 

[IanD]

Apologies - no insult was intended - I've turned 70, so it is a potential personal problem. (As it is for most of us eventually, I suppose.) My concern is for care & support for carers in their own homes & surroundings, rather the over-burdening of elderly spouses, & the removal to uncaring care homes.

Why should not youngsters be trained to care, rather than be idle at state expense?

I've edited my post.

 

[jopar]

Thankyou for your apology Ian, Dementia care is something that will always remain close to me, and is a field that I still have contacts with..

You will find that most youngsters do not have the necessary empathy basically, there are a couple that do, I've worked with adults who lacked empathy for this group yet still worked with them...

You will find that more and more elderly people arre staying in there own homes, but this does come with logistic problems of getting carers to them on time each day, but sometimes you will find that in truth this isn't always the safest option for an individual..

As to care homes being uncaring, no doubt there will be ill-managed homes that lack in there care standards, but if anyboyd is concerned about a relative either going into a home or already there, you can check what the Care Quaility Comission (used to be called Care Standards) website and check there inspection reports for every care home in the country, also you can complain/speak to your local office (phone number on website or phone book) expressing any concerns you have about some-ones care, and believe me they do check every complaint they recieve how ever minor it may be..

One of the reasons that quaility of care isn't what could it be, it down to one factor, lack of quaility wages, wages for those who choose elderly care is disgusting, I was doing dementia care for a wage just above the mim wage!! When the mim wage was brought in many years ago now, the carers that provided EMI Nursing care for my mum all got over 50p per hour pay raise to match the mim wage.. You can get paid more stacking shelves at a supermarket..

But caring for some-one at home isn't always appropiate, as if they live alone their health and safety in the home environment may be in grave danger, for those that have a partner or family they still could be problems, take my own mum for example my dad cared very well for her for as long as possible, but sadly mum would spend the last 3 years of her life in a nursing home, because of her Altzhimmers, she never really settled so wondered through out the day and night, this meant that my dad health became effected as he couldn't get the rest he needed and he suffered a mimi stoke.. Then she would become violent, wonder off and they lived in the sticks! If she got out onto the moors, it could be days before we would have found her!!!

 

[hanadr]

I see Ian's point about some of our youngsters learning to be carers. I volunteer with people with learning difficulties( not the same as dementiaI realise) but I have got to know a few of the carers. I notice how lovely a lot of the young African carers are. Caring seems to be a deeply ingrained part of their culture and the love and repect they show their clients is terrific. I rarely see an "English" carer.
I meet Polish, Ukranian and other East Europeans, but no locals. I think the ethic of caring for our disavantaged and vulneranble people has rather died out here. However one of my gym buddies has a daughter in her late 20s who used to work for Woolworths and was, of course made redundant. She joined a carer's agency, because it was all she could find, but she's now been trained and loves her work.
Perhaps some more of our young folks could find great satisfaction in caring work.
Hana

 

[brianb]

where did Ian say they were demented??

 

[janabelle]

Brian,
Ian edited his post as the word demented was construed as being insulting in his origninal post. I read the post, and understood his use of the word was to describe people with dementia, he clearly did not mean to cause offense.
Incidentally the definition of the word 'demented' is 'suffering from dementia or loss of cognitive function or suffering from mental illness/insanity'.
I've yet to look up the definition of 'numpty'. But I'm quite sure it's more insulting than descriptive.
Jus

 

[jopar]

Hanna

One reason that you don't find a lot of english within care (more so elderly care) is that the wages are very low, just above the mim wage if you'll lucky, and when you are doing personal care and when providing palitive end of life care this isn't a lot of money at all.. And as I said in my eariler post you can get paid more for stacking shelfs in the local supermarket!!

I have seen youngsters come into care and have all the right empathy needed to provide a very high standard of care, but I have also seen both youngsters and older people come into elderly care who think that all you do, is sit and talk to an old person and say there there pat them on the hand, then on there fist shift find out you have to do things like take an person to the toilet, wash them etc at the end of the shift they go and never to be seen again!!! I know that the home/company I worked for used to spend a fortune in wasted CRB checking this way...

I've worked in both comuninty setting where I covered all the verious age groups that needed care within the community, and residentail setting which was specific elderly care, the dementia care is what I enjoyed doing the most..

I've seen good and excellent care, I've also seen many top quaility carers leave the care field as I did because basically you can't afford to live on your wages, so you end up walking away with regret

 

[brianb]

aaaaah i see. Didnt realise the post had been edited and could not see the word demented was going demented myself :? trying to find where it had been used.

Numpty...now that is a good word.

 

[Bluenosesol]

My wife stacks shelves at a supermarket.
She gets paid the minimum wage.
She also does voluntary work for the homeless.
She is extremely caring, especially towards the disabled and the elderly.
The manager and head office have received many commendations in praise of her support.
So you may have selected her position as a good one to make a comparison versus a base role, but your generalisations are no better than any others!

 

[lovinglife]

Many moons ago the best carer my wonderful but very senile gran had was a 19yr old lad on a peanuts paid YTS scheme (those of us a certain age witll remember them) - she adored him and he was the only one who she knew every time! He was brilliant with her and never tired of her repeatly asking where her husband was. - His gentleness in telling her he had passed away a long time ago and his maturity in being able to comfort her will stay with me always

It never does to generalise and judge - Having a son with special needs taught me that!

 

[catherinecherub]

You have to have that certain something to care for the elderly. It is something that not everyone possesses as I have often seen in a Hospital setting. It does not matter what walk of life you come from, how many qualifications you have, any beliefs that you hold or your age. There is only one alternative to getting old and I would like to think that I will be treated with dignity and respect and some humour thrown in if I ever need to be cared for.

 

[IanD]

The big thing about elderly care is getting know who they were - not who they are now.

What music did they love? What were their interests? Look at their photos & ask about them; there are so many things that make up a person.

The best carers in homes know nothing about the residents, clothes, food & cleaning has to be the priority, & so often the carers are not English speaking.

 

[catherinecherub]

The big thing about elderly care is getting know who they were - not who they are now.

What music did they love? What were their interests? Look at their photos & ask about them; there are so many things that make up a person.

The best carers in homes know nothing about the residents, clothes, food & cleaning has to be the priority, & so often the carers are not English speaking.

That's the difference Ian. There has to be a rapport between the individual and the carer. A cheery word, a smile, an interest in their well being and you have an excellent carer. Someone who goes through the motions and does the necessary jobs is not of the same calibre.