Disturbing news

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Disturbing news

Postby Grommit » 26 Mar 2015, 00:30

Had a visit from the Community Mental Health Team leader last week who came round to tell me that Jean’s Friday Day Centre attendance is under review.

The Centre she uses is dedicated to Advanced Alzheimers patients and is open from 9 am to 3 pm on Fridays. There are about 9 patients that attend with 2 qualified and 1 apprentice carers who look after them.

The powers that be have been reviewing the patients and have decided that, because they are advanced patients and, in some cases, not very mobile and, in all cases, unable to use any sort of cognitive reasoning, the patients are not getting any benefit from attending the centre.

Their idea is to close the centre to advanced patients by not replacing those that pass on to Nursing Homes or reach the inevitable end of the disease and only use it for early onset cases who have just been diagnosed with the disease.

I immediately got on my high horse and asked the following questions:-

1) If the the patients have lost their ability to communicate, what evidence can the reviewers show that the patients are not getting benefit from attending the Centre?

2) Are the main carers to be consulted about the benefits they get from a brief respite once a week?

3) At what point will the centre not be available in numerical terms. At the moment there are 9 patients and 3 carers. Will it close if there are only 8?, 7?, 6?. Can it be expected to remain open if there is only 1 patient and 3 carers?

4) What arrangements are to be made for transferring the patients to a Daycentre at another location. Will they be split up and have to get used to losing familiar faces amongst the other patients and the familiar faces of the carers?

The Team Leader acknowledged that they were good points that I had raised but added that the review results were not as yet an absolute proposal and the details had not been worked out at this time. In other words “we have not got a clue what is going on” (my interpretation).

She did say that it was not a cost cutting exercise as the centre would remain open for early diagnosed patients and “no I can’t tell you why they are not proposing to accommodate those patients elsewhere rather than move the advanced patients to strange surroundings”.

Why cannot this Government, Council or whoever these nameless reviewers are just leave poor, confused, disorientated patients and their struggling, tired carers alone?
Grommit
 

Re: Disturbing news

Postby chenrezig » 26 Mar 2015, 06:10

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What is it about these people? The so-called "experts" makes my blood boil

" not very mobile and, in all cases, unable to use any sort of cognitive reasoning, the patients are not getting any benefit from attending the centre."

Dear Dad wasn't mobile, and he didn't have much in the way of cognitive reasoning, though he was averse to day centres as too noisy for him personally, he really appreciated his trips out and meeting people/familiar faces-it gave him vital mental stimulation which made my job just a little easier at home.

Likewise on Door-to-Door, as far as possible if we are carrying anyone with dementia we try to keep to the same team for pick-ups so they get to know us and feel more secure and relaxed. Had one very dear little lady who regarded me with some suspicion to begin with but after a few weeks I knew I "was in" when she smiled at me at our pick-ups and held my hand on the way home -it made my day !

Grommit, I am keeping you and Jean in my thoughts and hoping the status quo stays, a break from caring makes all the difference ..

Liz xx
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Re: Disturbing news

Postby wendy » 26 Mar 2015, 07:47

this is disturbing and shocking.
I hope you will get lots of support to keep the centre. Have you got a good MP?
There is a general election, so it would give someone good publicity to get involved.
My thoughts and prayers will be with you.
x
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Re: Disturbing news

Postby wendy » 26 Mar 2015, 07:55

A thought,
if you let me have the name of the centre, then I can ask questions on twitter?
We have thousands of followers.
Have they given you an alternative place? What about the carer?
Makes my blood boil as well.
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Re: Disturbing news

Postby maureenho » 26 Mar 2015, 11:46

Why do they punish those who cannot help themselves, it's down right cruel, when someone is in the advanced stages of any illness the help seem to dry up and you're left on limo, I agree with Wendy with a general election coming up now would be a good time to make some noise.

My thoughts are with you and Jean x
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Re: Disturbing news

Postby annie » 26 Mar 2015, 12:32

This is disgusting Derek, what about the carer in all this, those caring for those with the most advanced disease, are more in need of a break than anyone!!!! Please take up Wendy's offer
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Re: Disturbing news

Postby JaneJ » 26 Mar 2015, 14:49

I am fuming on your behalf Derek.

You ans well as Jean need this service, how dare they presume to tell you and Jean she gets no benefit from it.

thinking of you both and wishing i could do something to help
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