DaisyProudfoot Report post Posted April 6, 2006 Just watched this the other night and it made me so sad. I believe Tony and all his family were very brave to allow us into their lives like that. Basically it was a story about Tony's reasons for putting his mum in a care home, he interviewed quite a few people about caring for their elderly relatives and it was very moving. Many agreed that it was the stress of caring for elderly relatives which led them to make the care home decision. He also spoke to those people who do full-time care at home and what it meant to them. It made me think about the strain caring puts on our lives and how little is done to help us. Not necessarily the money - after all were all family - but the lack of respite available to carers. Having seen the strain caring for my gran put on my aunty I've already told my children that when I'm old and dribbly that they can put me in a NICE care home and not feel guilty. It's the guilt that seemed to get to these carers most. Very deep and moving documentary, lets hope the powers-that-be watched it too. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
curra Report post Posted April 6, 2006 Hi Daisy, I also watched it. It was very moving. It got me thinking too, as I'm a lone parent and when I'm no longer able to look after myself I would't like to be a burden on my son. There was also a report on Sky News 2 days ago about parents and spouses who care for people with mental illnesses. They go through an enormous amount of strain and get very little help. Curra Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nemesis Report post Posted April 6, 2006 I watched it and did find it very moving, particularly as my mum (who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's at 61) has just moved into full time care. However, I was concerned that the people featured who had Alzheimer's had obviously not been able to give informed consent to the filming and I found parts of it very intrusive. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DaisyProudfoot Report post Posted April 6, 2006 Hi Nemesis, I would entirely agree with your last statement. When we were watching Tony's mum dying I really wondered what she thought about it all. It is believed that in your final dying moments you become salient once more. Although they did mention in one care home about them going round getting signatures from the elders to consent to filming just in case "they died before the programme came out and the next of kin wouldn't agree!" .... well it's honest at any rate! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkyBlue Report post Posted April 6, 2006 (edited) I am really annoyed because I meant to watch it but totally forgot about it. It looked thoroughly interesting although it probably wasn't the most uplifting thing to watch! Although I agree that something like that can be intrusive, I also think it is a positive thing to be shown because it both raises awareness and also highlights the amount of people that are carers. I must be an extremely difficult decision to make - whether to put a loved one into a carehome - it is something I can imagine I would find extremely difficult. I do not envy any person who has to make that decision. The only experience I have had of a similar issue is with my Grandfather when he became terminally ill with cancer, luckily we were in the fortunate position of being able to afford homehelp, for so many people this is not an option. As with many things in our society, help to carers needs to be dramatically improved in my opinion. Edited April 6, 2006 by SkyBlue Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
