Alzheimer's Awareness Week - Ask your Questions Here

Replies

By Nickno

Re: Alzheimer's Awareness Week - Ask your Questions Here
Mon 3 Jul 2006 15:21

This message is posted on behalf of Jeanette:

My daughter is on Exelon , one of the drugs N.I.C.E. are trying to ban for all but moderate needs in dementia.

I KNOW JUST HOW GOOD THIS DRUG IS , and think it is a travesty of justice to attempt to withdraw it from anyone on any level of dementia!!

The change in my daughter has been like a lifeline to us,where she was once 'set in concrete' and extremely difficult to move, now she is more relaxed and easier to care for!! We still have a severe problem ,but certainly not as difficult as it was before Exelon!! Her drug will not be withdrawn,but my heart goes out to those who may be refused one of them because of a paltry £2.50 per day!!
I totally support The Alzheimers society stance on fighting the ban!!

This can happen to anyone out there ,so if you can find the time to support this charity and state your opinion of the banning of these drugs, please do!! Your view is vitally important!

By morgankingfisher

Re: Alzheimer's Awareness Week - Ask your Questions Here
Tue 4 Jul 2006 06:17

Grandad is 79 and is in the process of being diagnosed for Alzheimers, we have a physiatric assessment nurse coming tomorrow. It is very frustrating he is so forgetful, confused, demanding and quite abusive at the moment, I am finding it very hard as i am the only one caring for him, he lives on his own, my son and his wife live a few mins away, as do i . But i also have a disabled husband and daughter and sometimes can't find the time to get to granddads. He gets very abusive and nasty if we can't get to him when he wants.He wants everthing doing for him, even though sometimes he can manage by himself, i go up at about 7.30 in a morning and get him his breakfast, only to find that he has managed. My son and daughter in law refuse to go up as he was very abusive to them last week he called them both B......s and now they refuse to go.
I am at the end of my tether and don't know where to turn, my health is suffering and i am neglecting my caring duties to my hubby and daughter. i am tired and stressed and can't cope with this mmuch longer, but apart from this nurse coming on Wednesday we have not been offered any help, despite phoning social services.

By Peter_Gill

Re: Alzheimer's Awareness Week - Ask your Questions Here
Tue 4 Jul 2006 16:51

Dear Morgankingfisher

I’m sorry to hear about your Grandads condition. Looking after someone with a dementia related illness at home can be distressing and is always hard work. It is essential that you seek help. Don’t forget that your well being is as important as those for who you care. I’m afraid it’s often those nearest and dearest to someone with dementia who ‘get it in the neck’ if the person with dementia is going through an aggressive phase. The reason why your Grandad behaves in this way is because he is frightened or confused or distressed – or perhaps all three.

Under the NHS and Community Care Act 1990 a local authority social services department has a duty to carry out assessments for people it believes to be in need of services and to assess disabled people. This is known as a Community Care Assessment. If the assessment concludes there is a need for certain services, these must be provided. Such services may include aids and adaptations, meals on wheels, home care, sitting and respite schemes, day care and care home care.

Social services departments work closely with other local agencies such as health and housing as well as local voluntary organisations to try to ensure that help from different sources is organised effectively and in a way that is both convenient and acceptable to the person needing care and their carers. Some services, such as community nursing, are usually arranged through the GP either directly or after discussion with social services.

Your local social services department must publish information on the kinds of services it provides. It must also provide information on who is eligible for an assessment, how to apply for an assessment and how to make representations and complaints. For general information, write, telephone or call in at your local social services department and ask for the appropriate leaflets (the address will be in the telephone book under the name of your local authority).

After the assessment is complete and any relevant discussions have taken place, the person assessing should devise a care plan outlining what help is to be provided, when and by whom. Ask for a copy of the care plan if you are not given one.

As a carer, you are also entitled to an assessment of your needs. (See carers assessments - www.carers.org

Under the Carers (Recognition and Services) Act 1995 carers were able to ask for an assessment - but only if the person they were caring for was being assessed for community care services. This new legislation entitles carers to an assessment of their needs irrespective of whether the person they are caring for is being assessed or not.

The legislation allows local authorities to provide services for the carer in addition to extra services for the person they are caring for. The carers' assessment considers whether the carer has any needs in relation to the care they provide and whether the local authority should be meeting those needs.

If you have further questions or simply want to talk to someone or if you want to find your nearest branch of the Alzheimer’s Society, you can call the Alzheimer’s Society national helpline on 0845 300 0336 it’s a local rate call and open 8.30 to 6.30 Monday to Friday; also, if you use the internet you might like to take a look at the discussion forum at www.alzheimers.org.uk

Regards,

Peter Gill