by David Powell, DPW West
May 4 2012
A CARE assistant twisted the arm of an 87-year-old dementia sufferer behind his back until he cried out in pain, a court heard.
Frail OAP Harold Prince emerged with three care assistants from a nursing home toilet red faced, crying, and saying his arm was hurting, it was alleged at Llandudno magistrates.
The pensioner was left with a seven centimetre by five centimetre bruise on his left forearm.
Defendant Balazs Moldovan, 41, of Victoria Park, Colwyn Bay, denies assaulting Mr Prince at Pembroke Lodge nursing home for Elderly and Mentally Infirm residents in Pwllycrochan Avenue in Colwyn Bay, last September 3.
Prosecutor Karen Mullin told the court that Mr Prince had soiled himself that Saturday lunchtime.
One carer, Philipose Palathimtial , said he and another male carer took the pensioner into a toilet beside a dining room but struggled to change Mr Prince’s “pad” because he was “aggressive”.
Mr Palathimtial, who had a Malay interpreter in court, said he called on Moldovan to help them in the five feet by six feet room. Mr Palathimtial said he faced Mr Prince, held his right hand while Moldovan “held Mr Prince’s left hand behind Mr Prince’s back for one to two minutes”.
Under cross examination, defence solicitor Peter Butler asked Mr Palathimtial: “Initially Mr Prince went ‘Ow’ but then there was no problem?’ ”
Mr Palathimtial agreed.
Another carer Jaizy Matthew, who also had a Malay interpreter, said she saw three three carers leave the toilet.
She said: “Harold Prince was crying, his face was red and he was rubbing his arm. He was pointing at Blaze (the defendant Balazs)”.
The court heard Mr Prince later approached Julie Hunter, who works as a Pembroke Lodge cook and carer.
She told the court: “I have never seen anyone cry so much in my life for a grown man. He was crying like a baby. I asked him what was wrong and he put his right hand onto his left hand and put it up his back, then turned round and pointed at Blaze.”
Mrs Hunter said Moldovan “shrugged his shoulders” and joined his duty manager Anjelica Moldovan, who was also his wife. No incident was noted in records.
Registered manager Elaine Coulton spotted the bruising and after a preliminary investigation suspended Balazs Moldovan and called police.
Home Office pathologist Dr Brian Rodgers said the pensioner had a 7x5 cm bruise on his left forearm which could have been caused by being gripped.
But one of the other carers admitted in cross examination that Mr Prince had been kicking out, violent, aggressive and spitting. Moldovan claimed the prosecution evidence was a conspiracy from three Indian workers worried about losing their visas.
The trial continues.
SOURCE: The Daily Post, UK
__________________________________
Click for Updates, More Cases and Resources
Search LABELS for More Resources
Showing posts with label Alzheimer's Disease. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Alzheimer's Disease. Show all posts
May 3, 2012
Steps Taken to Protect Seniors (CANADA)
By Victoria Gray, The Tribune
April 30, 2012
ST. CATHARINES
Have you ever told a senior they were too old to understand something? That’s ageist and a form of elder abuse.
Dion McParland, executive director of the Alzheimer Society of Niagara Region says one of the most common forms of elder abuse is ageism, a form of discrimination.
“It’s about trust. Seniors have to be comfortable and in control of (their lives) as much as possible,” McParland said.
It’s not just telling them they don’t understand today’s fashion, it’s more like telling a senior they’re too old to spend their money wisely. That’s ageism and financial abuse — the other most common form of elder abuse.
“One thing we see a lot, is abuse of power of attorney,” McParland said. “Children can start, basically thinking they get what’s owed to them even before a person has passed on.”
There are many different types of elder abuse, such as physical abuse, neglect — either of a person’s basic needs due to lack of knowledge or deliberate disregard for a person’s needs — sexual abuse, emotional or psychological abuse.
McParland said only 24% of elder abuse cases happen in institutions, such as nursing homes, and the other 74% are committed by family members.
“Sometimes people don’t even know they are doing it. The senior’s son and daughter thinks they are doing what’s best for their parents, but it’s not what their parents want,” she said.
Thanks to a two-year, $15,000 grant the foundation received in early April from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, the Alzheimer Society can focus on strengthening the Niagara Elder Abuse Prevention Network.
Public awareness tops McParland’s to-do list, but the foundation also plans to train and educate front-line staff and co-ordinate the services offered within the network.
“If people continue not to understand what elder abuse is, we can’t stop it,” she said.
The provincial government set up the Ontario Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse in 2003 and 54 regional networks were established throughout the province, including Niagara, but they didn’t receive any funding until 2007-2008 when they were given only $7,000.
The regional network is a group of community agencies, like health service providers, lawyers, police and organizations like the Alzheimer’s society, that provide services to older individuals.
Det. Const. Tammy Hollard, Niagara Regional Police’s senior support and vulnerable adult co-ordinator, said elder abuse is a human rights issue, housing issue, criminal issue, justice issue, health issue, social issue, economic issue and gender issue that doesn’t have any one solution.
“It’s difficult because there is no one place criminal cases are dealt with, if it’s a case of fraud it goes to the fraud unit, sexual abuse goes to that unit and so on,” she said. “If it’s not criminal, I try to connect families to a community agency that can help and I know a lot of them personally because I worked with them when my mother needed to use them.”
Hollard said many people don’t report the abuse because they don’t want to go to nursing homes or get their children into trouble.
“Nobody wants to lose their independence, you know, and we try to keep people in their homes as long as possible, if at all possible,” she said.
Hollard said the best part of her job is conducting home visits because she gets to meet people who have lived full, rich lives and can share their knowledge with her while she helps them.
“You have to learn to show them the respect they deserve, but not let your heart get too involved, so you can do what’s needed,” she said.
Signs of elder abuse can include unexplained injuries, unusual legal activity related to wills or other documents, unnecessary purchases for the home or property, unexplained bank withdrawals, missing bank or credit card statements, lack of food, clothing or other necessities, unexplained weight loss, depression anxiety or fear.
Hollard and McParland said that after they do educational presentations, people disclose abuse of themselves or others. Both believe that by strengthening the network’s position in the region, seniors may feel more comfortable coming forward to ask for help.
“We also need to get the youth involved because it’s everyone’s job to look out for seniors in their community,” Hollard said. “If you’re walking by, take a look and if something’s amiss give us a call.”
For more information visit www.onpea.org or to get help for a senior call Hollard at 905-688-4111, ext. 5156.
SOURCE: The Niagara Falls Review
_____________________________________
Click for Updates, More Cases and Resources
Search LABELS for More Resources
April 30, 2012
ST. CATHARINES
Have you ever told a senior they were too old to understand something? That’s ageist and a form of elder abuse.
Dion McParland, executive director of the Alzheimer Society of Niagara Region says one of the most common forms of elder abuse is ageism, a form of discrimination.
“It’s about trust. Seniors have to be comfortable and in control of (their lives) as much as possible,” McParland said.
It’s not just telling them they don’t understand today’s fashion, it’s more like telling a senior they’re too old to spend their money wisely. That’s ageism and financial abuse — the other most common form of elder abuse.
“One thing we see a lot, is abuse of power of attorney,” McParland said. “Children can start, basically thinking they get what’s owed to them even before a person has passed on.”
There are many different types of elder abuse, such as physical abuse, neglect — either of a person’s basic needs due to lack of knowledge or deliberate disregard for a person’s needs — sexual abuse, emotional or psychological abuse.
McParland said only 24% of elder abuse cases happen in institutions, such as nursing homes, and the other 74% are committed by family members.
“Sometimes people don’t even know they are doing it. The senior’s son and daughter thinks they are doing what’s best for their parents, but it’s not what their parents want,” she said.
Thanks to a two-year, $15,000 grant the foundation received in early April from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, the Alzheimer Society can focus on strengthening the Niagara Elder Abuse Prevention Network.
Public awareness tops McParland’s to-do list, but the foundation also plans to train and educate front-line staff and co-ordinate the services offered within the network.
“If people continue not to understand what elder abuse is, we can’t stop it,” she said.
The provincial government set up the Ontario Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse in 2003 and 54 regional networks were established throughout the province, including Niagara, but they didn’t receive any funding until 2007-2008 when they were given only $7,000.
The regional network is a group of community agencies, like health service providers, lawyers, police and organizations like the Alzheimer’s society, that provide services to older individuals.
Det. Const. Tammy Hollard, Niagara Regional Police’s senior support and vulnerable adult co-ordinator, said elder abuse is a human rights issue, housing issue, criminal issue, justice issue, health issue, social issue, economic issue and gender issue that doesn’t have any one solution.
“It’s difficult because there is no one place criminal cases are dealt with, if it’s a case of fraud it goes to the fraud unit, sexual abuse goes to that unit and so on,” she said. “If it’s not criminal, I try to connect families to a community agency that can help and I know a lot of them personally because I worked with them when my mother needed to use them.”
Hollard said many people don’t report the abuse because they don’t want to go to nursing homes or get their children into trouble.
“Nobody wants to lose their independence, you know, and we try to keep people in their homes as long as possible, if at all possible,” she said.
Hollard said the best part of her job is conducting home visits because she gets to meet people who have lived full, rich lives and can share their knowledge with her while she helps them.
“You have to learn to show them the respect they deserve, but not let your heart get too involved, so you can do what’s needed,” she said.
Signs of elder abuse can include unexplained injuries, unusual legal activity related to wills or other documents, unnecessary purchases for the home or property, unexplained bank withdrawals, missing bank or credit card statements, lack of food, clothing or other necessities, unexplained weight loss, depression anxiety or fear.
Hollard and McParland said that after they do educational presentations, people disclose abuse of themselves or others. Both believe that by strengthening the network’s position in the region, seniors may feel more comfortable coming forward to ask for help.
“We also need to get the youth involved because it’s everyone’s job to look out for seniors in their community,” Hollard said. “If you’re walking by, take a look and if something’s amiss give us a call.”
For more information visit www.onpea.org or to get help for a senior call Hollard at 905-688-4111, ext. 5156.
SOURCE: The Niagara Falls Review
_____________________________________
Click for Updates, More Cases and Resources
Search LABELS for More Resources
April 25, 2012
South Carolina Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Attorney Applauds Medicare Initiative Against Misuse of Antipsychotic Drugs
Columbia lawyer Bert Louthian of the Louthian Law Firm, P.A., says prescribing powerful medications to control dementia patients is elder abuse that must end.
Columbia, S.C. (PRWEB) April 24, 2012
South Carolina nursing home abuse and neglect attorney Bert Louthian today hailed a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) program launched recently to combat the use of antipsychotic medications with nursing home residents.
“The excessive and inappropriate use of antipsychotic drugs in nursing homes and other elderly care situations is a longstanding problem, and it’s good to see the federal government’s primary medical care program for the elderly take steps to put an end to this kind of abuse,” said Louthian, a partner in the South Carolina personal injury firm, Louthian Law Firm, P.A., which is based in Columbia.
The “National Initiative to Improve Behavioral Health & Reduce the Use of Antipsychotic Medications in Nursing Home Residents” is meant to raise awareness of antipsychotic misuse, improve regulatory oversight and train nursing home workers on non-drug treatments for aggressive and agitated dementia behaviors, according to McKnight’s Long-Term Care News & Assisted Living online journal.
A 2011 audit by the CMS found that thousands of elderly nursing home residents suffering from dementia were given powerful antipsychotic drugs as a means of controlling aggressive behavior symptomatic of dementia, the New York Times reported.
The auditors said 83 percent of antipsychotic drugs prescribed for elderly nursing home residents were for uses not approved by federal regulators, and 88 percent were to treat patients with dementia, for whom the drugs can be lethal, the newspaper said.
“Applying medication that is known to be improper, let alone potentially lethal, is nothing less than abuse of the elderly,” Louthian said. “This practice, which is sometime called ‘chemical restraint,’ needs to stop.”
Louthian’s law firm investigates elderly and nursing home patient neglect or abuse across South Carolina.
“Family members and others connected to nursing home patients need to help them by looking out for their welfare and asking questions about the medications they are receiving,” Louthian said.
“If a person thinks an elderly patient is being treated incorrectly, through improper medication or other means, they should contact an experienced nursing home abuse and neglect lawyer to learn about their legal options.”
SOURCE: The PRWEB
__________________________________
Click for Updates, More Cases and Resources
Search LABELS for More Resources
Columbia lawyer Bert Louthian of the Louthian Law Firm, P.A., says prescribing powerful medications to control dementia patients is elder abuse that must end.
Columbia, S.C. (PRWEB) April 24, 2012
South Carolina nursing home abuse and neglect attorney Bert Louthian today hailed a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) program launched recently to combat the use of antipsychotic medications with nursing home residents.
“The excessive and inappropriate use of antipsychotic drugs in nursing homes and other elderly care situations is a longstanding problem, and it’s good to see the federal government’s primary medical care program for the elderly take steps to put an end to this kind of abuse,” said Louthian, a partner in the South Carolina personal injury firm, Louthian Law Firm, P.A., which is based in Columbia.
The “National Initiative to Improve Behavioral Health & Reduce the Use of Antipsychotic Medications in Nursing Home Residents” is meant to raise awareness of antipsychotic misuse, improve regulatory oversight and train nursing home workers on non-drug treatments for aggressive and agitated dementia behaviors, according to McKnight’s Long-Term Care News & Assisted Living online journal.
A 2011 audit by the CMS found that thousands of elderly nursing home residents suffering from dementia were given powerful antipsychotic drugs as a means of controlling aggressive behavior symptomatic of dementia, the New York Times reported.
The auditors said 83 percent of antipsychotic drugs prescribed for elderly nursing home residents were for uses not approved by federal regulators, and 88 percent were to treat patients with dementia, for whom the drugs can be lethal, the newspaper said.
“Applying medication that is known to be improper, let alone potentially lethal, is nothing less than abuse of the elderly,” Louthian said. “This practice, which is sometime called ‘chemical restraint,’ needs to stop.”
Louthian’s law firm investigates elderly and nursing home patient neglect or abuse across South Carolina.
“Family members and others connected to nursing home patients need to help them by looking out for their welfare and asking questions about the medications they are receiving,” Louthian said.
“If a person thinks an elderly patient is being treated incorrectly, through improper medication or other means, they should contact an experienced nursing home abuse and neglect lawyer to learn about their legal options.”
SOURCE: The PRWEB
__________________________________
Click for Updates, More Cases and Resources
Search LABELS for More Resources
April 20, 2012
PM to Push Home Care for the Elderly (AUSTRALIA)
By Michelle Grattan
April 20, 2012
TODAY'S federal government aged care blueprint will provide $268.4 million over five years for dementia, with a new supplement giving financial help to people receiving home care packages and residential care.
The supplement will add $1341 to the assistance for an elderly full pensioner at home receiving a current government subsidy of $13,406 a year and making a co-contribution of $1800. It will cost $164.3 million of the dementia funds. But the dementia funding, which is not all new money, falls well short of the extra $500 million called for by Alzheimer's Australia this month.
With nearly 1 million Australians expected to have dementia by 2050, there will be more support for timely diagnosis and a stronger focus on those who get the disease at a young age.
The aged care plan, designed to keep more old people in their homes and ensure people are not forced into a fire sale of their house if they have to go into a nursing home, is a major plank in the government's reform agenda.
The package will swing the system towards users paying and promoting greater fairness by expanding means testing.
It is worth several billion dollars but is substantially funded by a rearrangement of existing money. The government has said it has not sought to make overall budget savings from aged care.
The government will promise a major increase in the number of home care packages, allowing tens of thousands more older people to remain at home while receiving care.
Abridged
SOURCE: The Age, Au
_________________________________
Click for Updates, More Cases and Resources
Search LABELS for More Resources
April 20, 2012
TODAY'S federal government aged care blueprint will provide $268.4 million over five years for dementia, with a new supplement giving financial help to people receiving home care packages and residential care.
The supplement will add $1341 to the assistance for an elderly full pensioner at home receiving a current government subsidy of $13,406 a year and making a co-contribution of $1800. It will cost $164.3 million of the dementia funds. But the dementia funding, which is not all new money, falls well short of the extra $500 million called for by Alzheimer's Australia this month.
With nearly 1 million Australians expected to have dementia by 2050, there will be more support for timely diagnosis and a stronger focus on those who get the disease at a young age.
The aged care plan, designed to keep more old people in their homes and ensure people are not forced into a fire sale of their house if they have to go into a nursing home, is a major plank in the government's reform agenda.
The package will swing the system towards users paying and promoting greater fairness by expanding means testing.
It is worth several billion dollars but is substantially funded by a rearrangement of existing money. The government has said it has not sought to make overall budget savings from aged care.
The government will promise a major increase in the number of home care packages, allowing tens of thousands more older people to remain at home while receiving care.
Abridged
SOURCE: The Age, Au
_________________________________
Click for Updates, More Cases and Resources
Search LABELS for More Resources
April 12, 2012
Nurses fear collapse of aged care system (AUSTRLIA)
April 09, 2012
Nurses say Australia's aged care system may collapse if the Federal Government does not make a major investment to fix it.
Alzheimer's Australia has released a damning report that details the struggles of dementia sufferers and their carers at home and in facilities.
The report, which was produced after consultation with about 1,000 dementia patients and their families, presents a disturbing picture of mistreatment, delayed diagnosis, confusion and a lack of compassion or understanding from hospital and aged care home staff.
The Nursing Federation says many staff working in the sector are appallingly underpaid and the whole system is under immense strain.
National secretary Lee Thomas says the report adds to mounting evidence the Government must substantially increase investment in this year's budget.
Quotes from Alzheimer Australia's report
"My mum has been diagnosed for four years but there was something wrong 10 years before that."
"I was not once offered any medication, all the doctors said is dementia is just a part of ageing, get over it and move on."
"My mum doesn't speak English. There were no services available that met her needs."
"Twelve weeks ago mum could walk, talk and eat. Then after entering a nursing home, she quickly went downhill and suffered 14 falls and strokes. Now she cannot walk, talk or eat."
Read the full report.
"The Government have to act and I think they know they have to act," she said.
"They have to act in terms of workforce, because there will always be people who require nursing home care.
"If they don't act, then my fear is that the system will collapse."
She says the wages of those working in aged care are up to $300 per week less than nurses working in public hospitals.
"What's happening in aged care is there are less and less people working and available for older Australians in residential care," she said.
The Federal Government has conceded the aged care system is failing dementia sufferers and their families and is not meeting the needs of the elderly.
Alzheimer's Australia wants $500 million to be allocated in this year's budget to help dementia awareness, research and specialised care across the health system.
Council On The Ageing chief executive Ian Yates says the aged care system needs a complete overhaul.
"It's really important that the Government announces a comprehensive package of reform," he said.
"The Productivity Commission has said aged care should be shaped around the people for whom its intended.
"It's time we overhauled the system completely, starting with an announcement of a road map for the next five years."
SOURCE: ABC, AU
_____________________________________
Click for Updates, More Cases and Resources
Search LABELS for More Resources
Nurses say Australia's aged care system may collapse if the Federal Government does not make a major investment to fix it.
Alzheimer's Australia has released a damning report that details the struggles of dementia sufferers and their carers at home and in facilities.
The report, which was produced after consultation with about 1,000 dementia patients and their families, presents a disturbing picture of mistreatment, delayed diagnosis, confusion and a lack of compassion or understanding from hospital and aged care home staff.
The Nursing Federation says many staff working in the sector are appallingly underpaid and the whole system is under immense strain.
National secretary Lee Thomas says the report adds to mounting evidence the Government must substantially increase investment in this year's budget.
Quotes from Alzheimer Australia's report
"My mum has been diagnosed for four years but there was something wrong 10 years before that."
"I was not once offered any medication, all the doctors said is dementia is just a part of ageing, get over it and move on."
"My mum doesn't speak English. There were no services available that met her needs."
"Twelve weeks ago mum could walk, talk and eat. Then after entering a nursing home, she quickly went downhill and suffered 14 falls and strokes. Now she cannot walk, talk or eat."
Read the full report.
"The Government have to act and I think they know they have to act," she said.
"They have to act in terms of workforce, because there will always be people who require nursing home care.
"If they don't act, then my fear is that the system will collapse."
She says the wages of those working in aged care are up to $300 per week less than nurses working in public hospitals.
"What's happening in aged care is there are less and less people working and available for older Australians in residential care," she said.
The Federal Government has conceded the aged care system is failing dementia sufferers and their families and is not meeting the needs of the elderly.
Alzheimer's Australia wants $500 million to be allocated in this year's budget to help dementia awareness, research and specialised care across the health system.
Council On The Ageing chief executive Ian Yates says the aged care system needs a complete overhaul.
"It's really important that the Government announces a comprehensive package of reform," he said.
"The Productivity Commission has said aged care should be shaped around the people for whom its intended.
"It's time we overhauled the system completely, starting with an announcement of a road map for the next five years."
SOURCE: ABC, AU
_____________________________________
Click for Updates, More Cases and Resources
Search LABELS for More Resources
February 21, 2012
Elder Abusers Serve Just 42 Days (USA)
Elder abusers serve just 42 days
February 19, 2012
By Tim Engstrom
Two convicted elder abusers only served 42 days each of their 180-day jail sentences, according to Freeborn County jail records.
Brianna Broitzman
Brianna Broitzman and Ashton Larson didn’t have to serve a second 60-day jail stint and now, under a ruling filed in late January, they won’t have to serve the third. And the one they did serve was shortened by 18 days.
Freeborn County District Judge Steven Schwab in 2010 sentenced both Broitzman and Larson to staggered 180-day jail sentences after each was convicted of three counts of disorderly conduct by a caregiver.
Each count represented a different victim from abuses they committed in 2008 at the Good Samaritan Society of Albert Lea.
Under the sentence, both were required to serve a 60-day jail term immediately, and then a second and third 60-day jail term would come at later dates. Before the second and third stints, Broitzman and Larson would have the chance to ask to waive the terms. The judge would decide if they had met other conditions in the sentencing, such as writing letters of apology to the victims’ families and obeying laws.
However, in that initial 60-day sentence, they were released after 42 days. Both were processed into the Freeborn County jail but served their time behind bars in the Faribault County jail in Blue Earth because the jail in Albert Lea does not hold women.
Broitzman served her jail time from Oct. 22, 2010, to Dec. 2, 2010, while Larson did her time from Dec. 22, 2010, to Feb. 1, 2011.
Schwab said his purpose in the staggered sentence was “to make a change in their life and a change in attitude primarily.” As part of the sentence, each woman also had to fulfill a long list of requirements.
In the ruling in January, Schwab said their requirements have not been completed but by no fault of the two women. They were to meet with victims’ families in what is called restorative justice. Schwab in September called it the most important aspect of the entire sentencing.
Broitzman and Larson were two of six young women who initially faced charges tied to allegations of abuse at the nursing home. The other cases were handled in juvenile courts, Broitzman and Larson, because they were 18 at the time of the emotional and physical abuse of Alzheimer’s patients, were handled in criminal court.
SOURCE: The Albert Lea Tribune
_____________________________________
Click for Updates, More Cases and Resources
Search LABELS for More Resources
February 19, 2012
By Tim Engstrom
Two convicted elder abusers only served 42 days each of their 180-day jail sentences, according to Freeborn County jail records.
Brianna Broitzman
Brianna Broitzman and Ashton Larson didn’t have to serve a second 60-day jail stint and now, under a ruling filed in late January, they won’t have to serve the third. And the one they did serve was shortened by 18 days.
Freeborn County District Judge Steven Schwab in 2010 sentenced both Broitzman and Larson to staggered 180-day jail sentences after each was convicted of three counts of disorderly conduct by a caregiver.
Each count represented a different victim from abuses they committed in 2008 at the Good Samaritan Society of Albert Lea.
Under the sentence, both were required to serve a 60-day jail term immediately, and then a second and third 60-day jail term would come at later dates. Before the second and third stints, Broitzman and Larson would have the chance to ask to waive the terms. The judge would decide if they had met other conditions in the sentencing, such as writing letters of apology to the victims’ families and obeying laws.
However, in that initial 60-day sentence, they were released after 42 days. Both were processed into the Freeborn County jail but served their time behind bars in the Faribault County jail in Blue Earth because the jail in Albert Lea does not hold women.
Broitzman served her jail time from Oct. 22, 2010, to Dec. 2, 2010, while Larson did her time from Dec. 22, 2010, to Feb. 1, 2011.
Schwab said his purpose in the staggered sentence was “to make a change in their life and a change in attitude primarily.” As part of the sentence, each woman also had to fulfill a long list of requirements.
In the ruling in January, Schwab said their requirements have not been completed but by no fault of the two women. They were to meet with victims’ families in what is called restorative justice. Schwab in September called it the most important aspect of the entire sentencing.
Broitzman and Larson were two of six young women who initially faced charges tied to allegations of abuse at the nursing home. The other cases were handled in juvenile courts, Broitzman and Larson, because they were 18 at the time of the emotional and physical abuse of Alzheimer’s patients, were handled in criminal court.
SOURCE: The Albert Lea Tribune
_____________________________________
Click for Updates, More Cases and Resources
Search LABELS for More Resources
April 8, 2011
New Facts About Alzheimer's Disease (USA)
According to the Alzheimer's Association in the USA, the new facts on the disease shed new lights and awaken us to the frightening facts facing seniors:
· This year, the first wave of baby boomers are turning 65 – and with increased age comes increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.
· Our new report, "Generation Alzheimer's: The Defining Disease of the Baby Boomers," sheds light on a crisis that is no longer emerging – but here.
Many baby boomers will spend their retirement years either with Alzheimer's or caring for someone who has it.
- An estimated 10 million baby boomers will develop Alzheimer's.
- Starting this year, more than 10,000 baby boomers a day will turn 65. As these baby boomers age, one of out of eight of them will develop Alzheimer’s – a devastating, costly, heartbreaking disease. Increasingly for these baby boomers, it will no longer be their grandparents and parents who have Alzheimer’s – it will be them.
· "Alzheimer’s is a tragic epidemic that has no survivors. Not a single one," said Harry Johns, president and CEO of the Alzheimer’s Association. "It is as much a thief as a killer. Alzheimer’s will darken the long-awaited retirement years of the one out of eight baby boomers who will develop it. Those who will care for these loved ones will witness, day by day, the progressive and relentless realities of this fatal disease. But we can still change that if we act now."
- According to the new Alzheimer’s Association report, "Generation Alzheimer’s," it is expected that 10 million baby boomers will either die with or from Alzheimer’s, the only cause of death among the top 10 in America without a way to prevent, cure or even slow its progression. But, while Alzheimer’s kills, it does so only after taking everything away, slowly stripping an individual’s autonomy and independence. Even beyond the cruel impact Alzheimer’s has on the individuals with the disease, Generation Alzheimer’s also details the negative cascading effects the disease places on millions of caregivers. Caregivers and families go through the agony of losing a loved one twice: first to the ravaging effects of the disease and then, ultimately, to actual death.
- "Most people survive an average of four to six years after a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, but many can live as long as 20 years with the disease. As the disease progresses, the person with dementia requires more and more assistance with everyday tasks like bathing, dressing, eating and household activities," said Beth Kallmyer, senior director of Constituent Relations for the Alzheimer’s Association. "This long duration often places increasingly intensive care demands on the nearly 15 million family members and friends who provide unpaid care, and it negatively affects their health, employment, income and financial security."
- In addition to the human toll, over the next 40 years Alzheimer’s will cost the nation $20 trillion, enough to pay off the national debt and still send a $20,000 check to every man, woman and child in America. And while every 69 seconds someone in America develops Alzheimer’s disease today, by 2050 someone will develop the disease every 33 seconds - unless the federal government commits to changing the Alzheimer’s trajectory.
- "Alzheimer’s – with its broad ranging impact on individuals, families, Medicare and Medicaid - has the power to bring the country to its financial knees," said Robert J. Egge, vice president of Public Policy of the Alzheimer’s Association. "But when the federal government has been focused, committed and willing to put the necessary resources to work to confront a disease that poses a real public health threat to the nation – there has been great success. In order to see the day where Alzheimer’s is no longer a death sentence, we need to see that type of commitment with Alzheimer’s." The full text of the Alzheimer’s Association’s"Generation Alzheimer’s" report can be viewed at www.alz.org/boomers.
_______________________________________
There are other reports citing Carer's abuse and also Elder Abuse relating to dementia or Alzheimers. We need to understand the disease and to put in place measures that would help carers of sufferers; and the sufferers themselves.
Please follow the links to view the report.
................ Andrew
______________________________________
Click for Updates, More Cases and Resources
Search Right Col/Labels for More Posts/Resources
January 28, 2011
Aged Care: Forgotten Sufferers of Dementia (UK)
Charity's concern over care
27 January 2011
By Joanna Wardill
MORE than half of people with dementia in the region are not receiving enough care at home, according to a new report.
A survey by the Alzheimer's Society found 51 per cent of carers in the Yorkshire and Humber region spoke of dementia patients being left bedridden, wearing unchanged incontinence pads and malnourished.
The report, which looked at support of people with dementia in their own homes, also found 55 per cent of carers felt they were being put at risk of stress and depression because of a lack of support.The charity said the "substandard care" will result in 50,000 people nationally being forced into care homes early, costing £70m for each avoidable month people with dementia spend in care.
Charity bosses are calling on commissioners to invest in dementia services and training to keep more people out of hospitals and care homes and to save the NHS and councils from bankruptcy.
Nicki Dyson, Alzheimer's Society Yorkshire and Humber area manager, said: "It is an absolute travesty that so many people with dementia are being forced to struggle without the care and support they need. The consequences of this represnt an unacceptable human and financial cost.
"Half a million people with dementia live in the community and many will need help with everyday tasks such as eating meals, washing or going to the toilet.
"This help not only maintains dignity but prevents serious health issues. While staying at home is not right for everyone we know many people want to remain in the familiar surroundings they are used to with family or loved ones. Only with the right support will this be possible."
SOURCE: The Halifax Courier, UK
_______________________________________
Click for Updates, More Cases and Resources
Search Right Col/Labels for More Posts/Resources
November 2, 2010
Alzheimer's Link to Money Problems and Financial Elder Abuse
Alzheimer's link to money problems and financial elder abuse
November 1, 2010
A report this week in The New York Times links Alzheimer's Disease with a decreasing ability to handle money, deal with credit, and make financial decisions. The article illustrates the sometimes devastating results when an elderly person forgets to pay bills and starts to lose the capacity to make financial decisions. For family members and paid professionals like lawyers and financial advisers, the challenge is to know when it's appropriate to suggest that the elderly person is no longer mentally competent, and to act in a way that's respectful and also protective of the individual.
It's a delicate situation, to be sure. But not acting could result in financial elder abuse: Strangers or unscrupulous family members wresting control of property, cleaning out bank accounts, and otherwise robbing an elderly person of his or her assets. Consumer Reports Money Adviser recently reported on the growing phenomenon, and suggested several steps for prevention. Check our report, "Preventing financial elder abuse."
SOURCE: The Consumer Reports Blog
__________________________________________
Click for Updates, More Cases and Resources
Search Right Col/Labels for More Posts/Resources
October 22, 2010
Tassie's Ageing Problem (Tasmania, AUSTRALIA)
UP to 28,000 Tasmanians will be diagnosed with dementia in the next 30 years, warns a leading geriatrician.
Dr David Dunbabin, a clinical leader at the Aged and Rehabilitation Clinical Network, said researchers needed to develop innovative forms of care to avoid future over-crowding in nursing homes.
He said about 7000 Tasmanians now have dementia.
The Tasmanian Dementia Research Network was launched at the Menzies Research Institute yesterday and aims to connect carers, researchers, support groups and government organisations to improve care for the increasing number of dementia suffers.
Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre co-director Professor Andrew Robinson said dementia was likely to become the most significant health problem in the western world.
He said Tasmania was an ideal location for dementia studies because of its stable, ageing population.
"It means we can follow people and access networks over a long period," he said.
He said Tasmania was also a good place to trial programs that could eventually be rolled out nationally.
Prof Robinson said carers were the unsung heroes of dementia treatment.
Stress and high burn-out rates in carers of dementia suffers was well documented.
About 250,000 Australians have dementia, and the figure is expected to jump to 1.1 million by 2020.
Dr Dunbabin said the Tasmanian Dementia Research Network would allow researchers to connect with people at the "coalface" of dementia care, and carers' observations would contribute to ongoing studies.
The Wicking centre received a $5000 grant from the University of Tasmania Community Engagement Grant scheme to facilitate meetings for the new research network.
SOURCE: The Mercury
_______________________________________
Click for Updates, More Cases and Resources
Search Right Col/Labels for More Posts/Resources
September 22, 2010
Legal fights to keep home care for ALZHEIMER’S Woman (UK)
21 September 2010
A Cornwall woman's family is challenging a ruling by the NHS to send her to a nursing home or get agency carers because she has Alzheimer's.
Social services currently pay Hilary Cooper's daughter and grand-daughter to care for her.
But her condition has deteriorated and the cost must now be transferred to the NHS, which cannot make direct payments.
The NHS says that after October Mrs Cooper must move into a home, or get agency carers.
Hilary Cooper, 75, of Whitstone, near Holsworthy, is in the advanced stages of Alzheimer's disease and needs help with all personal care.
To move her into a home would more than likely shorten her life span”
Sharon Lamerton Lawyer for family
Daughter Lynn Keen said: "She's happy where she is, she's doing OK, so why rock the boat?
"My dad doesn't want her to go into care.
"The reason he gets up in the morning is because he's got her."
Mrs Keen said she had explored the possibility of being taken on by a care agency, but said no agency would allow her to care only for her mother.
Devon Primary Care Trust said the trust sympathised with the family but the law prevented making direct payments to them.
Now the family has been granted legal aid for a judicial review in the High Court.
Their lawyer, Sharon Lamerton, said: "It's ludicrous. This lady is doing well at home. To move her into a home would more than likely shorten her life span.
"Alternatively, to have agencies coming in, you have not got the continuity of care.
"You have a vast change around of staff and that's going to affect her quality of life."
________________________________________
Click for Updates, More Cases and Resources
Search Right Col/Labels for More Posts/Resources
Tender Loving Greed: The Patient As Prey (CANADA)
As well as better care and treatment, Canadians with dementia badly need protection from people who are out to get their money. Does ‘buyer beware’ really apply?
By Grant Robertson and Tara Perkins
Sep. 20, 2010
Even at 86, she isn’t afraid to take a risk – you don’t lose almost a half-million dollars by playing it safe. But where, her family wants to know, was her financial adviser as she pumped her life’s savings into volatile mining shares? And how can someone that old, having suffered a stroke and been diagnosed with frontal lobe dementia, be allowed to sign a form stating that she has an “excellent understanding” of the stock market?
By the time the complaint, which is still outstanding, reached Douglas Melville, Canada’s banking ombudsman, the woman’s portfolio was down an alarming $470,000.
For another elderly woman, family was part of the problem. After being diagnosed with cognitive impairment, she wisely turned over her financial affairs to her daughter. But she retained joint control of her account, which was all an unscrupulous relative needed to have her co-sign for a pair of hefty bank loans.
With dementia on the rise as the population ages, Canada’s financial and legal systems are beginning to realize how ill-equipped they are to deal with the growing number of people unable to administer their own affairs. Some are being taken advantage of, defrauded in a variety of ways, while others are being given bad advice, even by lawyers, financial advisers and family members with good intentions.
How serious is the problem? Nobody knows for sure – because nobody is keeping track.
See more stories, portraits and multimedia from The Globe's series
(Please go to source for a great article on the subject)
Abridged
SOURCE: The Globe and Mail
_________________________________________
Click for Updates, More Cases and Resources
Search Right Col/Labels for More Posts/Resources
August 11, 2010
Alzheimer's Disease and Carers (UK)
Carer from Watford who looked after wife with Alzheimer's disease signs up for Memory Walk
9th August 2010
A retired charity worker has spoken of the pressures of becoming a carer for his wife who was living with Alzheimer's disease.
David Blair, from Cassiobury Drive, spent seven years looking after wife Valerie until her death seven months ago.
He now hopes to raise awareness of the vital role carers play in the lives of relatives and friends who can no longer look after themselves when he takes part in this year's Memory Walk for the Watford and Dacorum Alzheimer's Society.
David was married to former teacher Valerie, 78, who worked at Cassiobury Junior School, for 48 years.
He said: “My wife retired at 60. She was very active in retirement but about six or seven years ago she began to show signs of loss of memory, confusion and loss of confidence about things like driving.”
However, although Mrs Blair was never formally diagnosed with Alzheimer's, doctors did confirm she suffered from a form of dementia.
“She lived here with me until about 18 months ago, when she had to be admitted to residential care,” David said.
“We got to the stage where I wasn't able to meet her care needs. She needed pretty much constant attention.”
Eighteen months ago, Valerie moved to River Court Nursing Home, in Explorer Drive, where she died seven months ago. But following his wife's death, David began volunteering at the home, spending one morning a week with residents and often taking them to a nearby coffee shop.
“During that period of seven years, I have been her principle carer,” he said. “Even when she was in the care home, I would visit her every day.
“I would say looking after someone with dementia, whatever form it is, is an all-consuming task at home as they become progressively more disabled and need all kinds of help with eating, dressing, washing and showering.
“I'm also concerned for carers. It's quite important to support and encourage carers. The Memory Walk is a symbol of people with dementia and their carers.”
Father-of-four David, a volunteer for the Alzheimer's Society, said that initially he struggled to cope with his wife's illness, but found support in his family and friends.
“To begin with,” he said, “it was difficult to understand what was happening in her life because she couldn't do certain things. Gradually I got into a way of doing things.
“It was so frustrating. As you learn to cope with one level of disability, you suddenly find there are other things that happen as she drops down to the next level.
“It can be a very lonely thing. We were on our own here. To have meaningful conversation became increasingly difficult because she would repeat things or forget what she said or sometimes not make sense or wasn't interested.
“These things put great pressure on carers looking after loved ones at home. Organisations that provide support, such as the Alzheimer's Society, are absolutely vital.”
Ruth Sutherland, acting chief executive of the Alzheimer’s Society, said: “A carer is perhaps the most important person to someone who has dementia and they perform a role that can be both very challenging and rewarding at the same time.”
The Memory Walk takes place in Cassiobury Park, Watford, on Sunday, September 19.
For more information, visit www.memorywalk.co.uk or telephone Elaine Feast on 01923 251175.
SOURCE: The Watford Observer
________________________________
Not all carers are abusers. In fact, many carers are in urgent need of support and services to help them in their vital role in caring for a loved one at home. These carers are the 'unsung heros' that also suffer in silence. People in government should note that these carers are saving the government (local, state or at national levels) a lot of money.
More importantly - in recognizing their great work, we should also provide them with as much resources and assistance as required. With the reality of 'the aging population'' every level of government should plan on funding services and resources for helping these carers.
....................... Andrew
________________________________________
Click for Updates, More Cases and Resources
Search Right Col/Labels for More Posts/Resources
June 30, 2010
Alzheimer's Scourge Hangs Over Ill-Prepared Asia (ASIA)
29 Jun 2010
Source: Reuters
By Tan Ee Lyn
HONG KONG
Asia's fast-ageing population will make up more than half of the world's dementia patients in 40 years, with China shouldering the biggest chunk.
With very few skilled nursing homes, daycare facilities or plans to build many more, health experts say the region is ill-prepared to cope with the sharp increase in patients needing such specialised and intensive care.
"Asia will bear the burden because of the ageing population in China ... figures in China will be tremendous," Dr. David Dai, coordinator of the Hong Kong Alzheimer's Disease Association.
"We are not prepared. The whole of southeast Asia is not prepared," gerontologist Dai said in an interview.
More than 35 million people suffer from Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other forms of dementia, a number expected to almost double by 2030 and pass 115 million by 2050, according to Alzheimer's Disease International (ADI) [ID:nN20262573].
Alzheimer's, the most common form of dementia, robs people of their memory and thought processes and, eventually, bodily functions.
In Asia, 13.7 million people had Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia in 2005. That is expected to grow to 23.7 million by 2020 and 64.6 million by 2050.
China alone will have 27 million sufferers by 2050 and India 16 million, according to ADI.
ONE FOR EVERY FAMILY
About 10 percent of those in their 70s can expect to have dementia, and 30 percent of those in their 80s.
"Everyone will experience this, every family. It is now common to live to your 80s," said Peter Yuen, director of the Public Policy Research Institute at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
Yuen, whose mother has Alzheimer's, told a recent AD symposium in Hong Kong that four years of daycare and two years of residential care in a general nursing home in Hong Kong would cost HK$540,000 (US$69,000) per patient.
But even that is an underestimate for 82-year-old Aw Bek-sum, whose children have had to fork out HK$15,000 (US$1,920) each month to take care of her since she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's four years ago. The sum covers daycare, visits to the doctor, a domestic helper and household expenses.
"It's devastating for families with AD patients. There is just not enough support," Yuen said
He proposes long-term financing or some form of pooled insurance for patients who are chronically ill so that services will be made available once the ability to pay is assured.
Abridged
SOURCE: AlertNet.Org
______________________________________
Click for Updates, More Cases and Resources
Search Right Col/Labels for More Posts/Resources
Source: Reuters
By Tan Ee Lyn
HONG KONG
Asia's fast-ageing population will make up more than half of the world's dementia patients in 40 years, with China shouldering the biggest chunk.
With very few skilled nursing homes, daycare facilities or plans to build many more, health experts say the region is ill-prepared to cope with the sharp increase in patients needing such specialised and intensive care.
"Asia will bear the burden because of the ageing population in China ... figures in China will be tremendous," Dr. David Dai, coordinator of the Hong Kong Alzheimer's Disease Association.
"We are not prepared. The whole of southeast Asia is not prepared," gerontologist Dai said in an interview.
More than 35 million people suffer from Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other forms of dementia, a number expected to almost double by 2030 and pass 115 million by 2050, according to Alzheimer's Disease International (ADI) [ID:nN20262573].
Alzheimer's, the most common form of dementia, robs people of their memory and thought processes and, eventually, bodily functions.
In Asia, 13.7 million people had Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia in 2005. That is expected to grow to 23.7 million by 2020 and 64.6 million by 2050.
China alone will have 27 million sufferers by 2050 and India 16 million, according to ADI.
ONE FOR EVERY FAMILY
About 10 percent of those in their 70s can expect to have dementia, and 30 percent of those in their 80s.
"Everyone will experience this, every family. It is now common to live to your 80s," said Peter Yuen, director of the Public Policy Research Institute at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
Yuen, whose mother has Alzheimer's, told a recent AD symposium in Hong Kong that four years of daycare and two years of residential care in a general nursing home in Hong Kong would cost HK$540,000 (US$69,000) per patient.
But even that is an underestimate for 82-year-old Aw Bek-sum, whose children have had to fork out HK$15,000 (US$1,920) each month to take care of her since she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's four years ago. The sum covers daycare, visits to the doctor, a domestic helper and household expenses.
"It's devastating for families with AD patients. There is just not enough support," Yuen said
He proposes long-term financing or some form of pooled insurance for patients who are chronically ill so that services will be made available once the ability to pay is assured.
Abridged
SOURCE: AlertNet.Org
______________________________________
Click for Updates, More Cases and Resources
Search Right Col/Labels for More Posts/Resources
June 4, 2010
Cuts to 'chemical cosh' for dementia sufferers
Dementia patients will only be given a so-called ‘chemical cosh’ as a last resort under a new strategy designed to tackle soaring numbers of Scots developing the syndrome.
By Simon Johnson, Scottish Political Editor
02 Jun 2010
The eight-point blueprint, published by Scottish ministers, states there is too much reliance by hospitals and nursing homes on using powerful antipsychotic medication to control sufferers.
It also argues that more should be allowed to remain at home instead of instead of being forced into care homes, and extra support must be provided for their carers.
Around 71,000 people in Scotland suffer from dementia, including 2,300 under the age of 65, and the problem is expected to get worse thanks to the country’s ageing population.
Charity Alzheimer Scotland estimates that the condition costs around £1.7 billion per year, including between £600 million and £700 million for the health service and councils.
But the strategy states that looming deep public spending cuts means changes are required to get better value for money, especially as the number of sufferers is expected to double over the next 25 years.
Shona Robison, Scottish public health minister, said: “The dementia strategy sets out plans to develop our first-ever national standards of care for people with dementia, ensuring they not only receive the best clinical care but are treated with respect and dignity.
“We have to do things differently, and this strategy is an important step on a very long road. We want a new era of respect, dignity and self-determination for people with dementia.”
The strategy aims to eradicate the postcode lottery of dementia care around Scotland by setting strict national guidelines for all hospitals, social workers and care homes to follow.
But Henry Simmons, chief executive of Alzheimer Scotland, said: “It is unfortunate that it is only now, in such an uncertain economic climate, that dementia is receiving the necessary level of government priority.”
A Government review published last year found 145,000 Britons with dementia are wrongly being prescribed antipsychotic medication that causes around 1,800 deaths per year.
Only around 36,000 of the 180,000 people given the drugs derive any benefit from them. The medication is thought to be linked to deaths in one per cent of patients taking it.
Research produced for the new Scottish strategy recommends reducing the use of antipsychotic medication by two-thirds within three years.
The blueprint states hospitals and care homes should only use the drugs as a “last resort after a comprehensive assessment” and other approaches have been considered.
National standards must be drawn up for prescribing and monitoring the medications, it adds, and their use must be reviewed frequently.
Instead, the strategy states behavioural problems should be tackled before they reach “crisis point”, including training staff and carers with good communication skills and providing sufferers with “purposeful and rewarding activities”.
Where it is not possible to prevent such problems arising, therapeutic methods should be used before drug treatment is considered.
Dementia sufferers should only be admitted to hospital where treatment cannot be provided in their homes, the strategy states, to reduce stress and anxiety.
It is common for sufferers to be discharged from hospital to a care home, but the blueprint states “a return home should be the starting point”.
Jackie Baillie, Scottish Labour health spokesman, welcomed the blueprint but added: “We need to see real resources and an end to the SNP's cuts or the good intentions in this strategy will simply never be delivered.”
SOURCE: Telegraph.co.uk
_______________________________________
Click for Updates, More Cases and Resources
Search Right Col/Labels for More Posts/Resources
By Simon Johnson, Scottish Political Editor
02 Jun 2010
The eight-point blueprint, published by Scottish ministers, states there is too much reliance by hospitals and nursing homes on using powerful antipsychotic medication to control sufferers.
It also argues that more should be allowed to remain at home instead of instead of being forced into care homes, and extra support must be provided for their carers.
Around 71,000 people in Scotland suffer from dementia, including 2,300 under the age of 65, and the problem is expected to get worse thanks to the country’s ageing population.
Charity Alzheimer Scotland estimates that the condition costs around £1.7 billion per year, including between £600 million and £700 million for the health service and councils.
But the strategy states that looming deep public spending cuts means changes are required to get better value for money, especially as the number of sufferers is expected to double over the next 25 years.
Shona Robison, Scottish public health minister, said: “The dementia strategy sets out plans to develop our first-ever national standards of care for people with dementia, ensuring they not only receive the best clinical care but are treated with respect and dignity.
“We have to do things differently, and this strategy is an important step on a very long road. We want a new era of respect, dignity and self-determination for people with dementia.”
The strategy aims to eradicate the postcode lottery of dementia care around Scotland by setting strict national guidelines for all hospitals, social workers and care homes to follow.
But Henry Simmons, chief executive of Alzheimer Scotland, said: “It is unfortunate that it is only now, in such an uncertain economic climate, that dementia is receiving the necessary level of government priority.”
A Government review published last year found 145,000 Britons with dementia are wrongly being prescribed antipsychotic medication that causes around 1,800 deaths per year.
Only around 36,000 of the 180,000 people given the drugs derive any benefit from them. The medication is thought to be linked to deaths in one per cent of patients taking it.
Research produced for the new Scottish strategy recommends reducing the use of antipsychotic medication by two-thirds within three years.
The blueprint states hospitals and care homes should only use the drugs as a “last resort after a comprehensive assessment” and other approaches have been considered.
National standards must be drawn up for prescribing and monitoring the medications, it adds, and their use must be reviewed frequently.
Instead, the strategy states behavioural problems should be tackled before they reach “crisis point”, including training staff and carers with good communication skills and providing sufferers with “purposeful and rewarding activities”.
Where it is not possible to prevent such problems arising, therapeutic methods should be used before drug treatment is considered.
Dementia sufferers should only be admitted to hospital where treatment cannot be provided in their homes, the strategy states, to reduce stress and anxiety.
It is common for sufferers to be discharged from hospital to a care home, but the blueprint states “a return home should be the starting point”.
Jackie Baillie, Scottish Labour health spokesman, welcomed the blueprint but added: “We need to see real resources and an end to the SNP's cuts or the good intentions in this strategy will simply never be delivered.”
SOURCE: Telegraph.co.uk
_______________________________________
Click for Updates, More Cases and Resources
Search Right Col/Labels for More Posts/Resources
January 15, 2010
Dementia Care Standards In England Criticised (IRELAND)
Dementia care standards in England criticised
January 14, 2010
MARK HENNESSY, London Editor
HOSPITAL STAFF in England are badly trained to deal with dementia patients, and British government plans to improve care over the next five years must be “urgently” reviewed, a top audit body warned yesterday.
Dementia affects more than half a million people in England alone, and the numbers will double over the next 30 years, while the costs of coping with them will rise from £15 billion (€17 billion) to nearly £35 billion in just 15 years, the National Audit Office (NAO) said.
Expressing concerns about training standards for doctors, nurses and carers, the NAO said society’s lack of interest in dementia care is affecting “the morale and motivation” of those caring for patients daily.
“Almost every health professional comes into contact with patients who have dementia, yet there is no required basic training in how to understand and support them,” said the audit body, in a report issued yesterday.
Care is affected because staff turnover is too high in nursing and residential homes: up to a quarter quit their jobs in nursing homes every year, while one in five leaves residential homes.
The department of health produced an “ambitious and comprehensive strategy” in 2007, but it has not addressed it as urgently as efforts to improve cancer and heart disease treatments.
Though 21 million English people know someone with dementia, public awareness is poor: 28 per cent wrongly believe it is “a natural part of ageing” and 22 per cent also wrongly believed that there is no way to reduce the risk of suffering from it.
“The stigma, amongst health and social care staff as well as the public, contributes to a negativity about dementia resembling the attitude to cancer in the 1950s.
Abridged
SOURCE: The Irish Times
________________________________________
Click for Updates, More Cases and Resources
Search Right Col/Labels for More Posts/Resources
January 1, 2010
Elder Abuse Targeted (Canada)
By Laura Cudworth, Staff Reporter
January 1, 2010
"Maggie," an elderly Perth County woman suffering from dementia, was forced to swallow sedatives she didn't want and was tied to a chair while her daughter went to her full-time job.
She has since been moved to a retirement home and her daughter is facing charges.
Maggie's story isn't unusual. It's estimated between four and 10 per cent of Ontario seniors experience some type of abuse, but in Perth County, which has the highest per capita ratio of seniors in the province, those numbers take on added significance.
To address the issue, a new report called "Breaking the Silence: A Report on Elder Abuse in Perth County" suggests education campaigns are key.
"It's one of those things where nobody wants to think elders in our society are victims of abuse," said Cheryl Legate, executive director of Victim Services of Perth County and a member of the elder abuse committee.
The report, compiled and written by Snap Marketing & Communications and commissioned by the Perth County Social Research and Planning Council, makes three recommendations:
* a comprehensive education campaign be launched in partnership with local service providers
* consideration be given to starting an elder abuse response team
* holding a progress meeting in the spring to discuss a course of action.
There are communities that already have elder abuse response teams. The team would be made up of professionals like police, service providers and hospital and retirement home staff who may see elder abuse.
"Certainly we would love to see that model, but it may be a while before we see it here. If we can get there that would be a great day," Ms. Legate said.
Seniors shouldn't feel ashamed and should talk to someone they trust like a family doctor, their banker, lawyer or police, he stressed.
Also, some seniors won't report abuse because they don't want to get their caregiver in trouble, Ms. Legate said.
It's not just seniors and the general public that need to be educated. Caregivers sometimes don't provide adequate care but there's no malice intended, the report says. Caregivers too are encouraged to reach out for support when they become overwhelmed.
Debbie Deichert, executive director of the Alzheimer Society of Perth County, noted in the report the organization's caregiver support groups are growing all the time and said it's a good sign.
Abridged
SOURCE: The Stratford Beacon Herald
_______________________________________
Click for Updates, More Cases and Resources
Search Right Col/Labels for More Posts/Resources
December 16, 2009
A Full-Time Carer's Experience in Caring for Mother (IRELAND)
'Working 365 days a year as a carer, I was on my knees with exhaustion'
December 15, 2009
BERNADETTE BRADY watched as dementia destroyed her mother’s memory, her personality, her ability to communicate, to recognise her loved ones and, eventually, to recognise her own face in the mirror. This is Bernadette’s story
I KNEW THAT something was wrong. I had observed subtle changes in my mother’s behaviour and memory over many months. If I am honest, I knew exactly what was wrong, but I was too terrified to acknowledge it. I didn’t need any scans or memory tests to confirm the diagnosis. Common sense and a little knowledge told me that my mother had dementia.
I tried to persuade myself that maybe I was overreacting. Perhaps the changes I was noticing were all just part of normal ageing? My mother was 77 years old at the time, even though she looked at least 10 years younger. She was a nurse, a highly intelligent, vibrant, extrovert with a photographic memory. She loved life and she was full of enthusiasm.
After her retirement she made a point of keeping her mind and body as active as possible. She was exceptionally fit and she walked several miles each day with our dog. She was an avid speed-reader and she worked her way through several tomes each week. Surely dementia could not strike someone with a mind like my mother’s?
How wrong I was. Dementia does not discriminate between the active, educated mind and the less active mind. It has no respect for intellect. It cares not about one’s love for life or one’s plans for the future. It is a cruel, relentless, destroyer of the brain.
It is now time that Ireland faced up to the nightmare of dementia as a matter of extreme urgency. It is time that carers were properly supported and helped to carry out their caring role. It is time that dedicated residential facilities were provided for dementia sufferers who need institutional care. It is time that these tormented, voiceless, vulnerable souls had their needs properly acknowledged and be provided with the specialist care that they so richly deserve.
Abridged
SOURCE: The Irish Times
________________________________________
Click for Updates, More Cases and Resources
Search Right Col/Labels for More Posts/Resources
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
