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feeling positive?

How not to do Social Work — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 13:59:00 GMT

Sometimes and only sometimes I wondered whether I made the right choice in becoming a Social Worker. You never finish on time, you can never achieve what you want to achieve and always blamed for something that has not gone right even if you have no control Read More......(read more)

State of the Nation Conference

Norrms — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 08:57:00 GMT

Hiya All, this is the conference i am speaking at in March 26th 2012, would be lovely to see as many of you there as posssible, especially those of you who live in and around that area, Norrms and family xxxxxxxxx

Dementia 2012 conference Monday 26 March 2012, 10-3.30pm, Hotel Russell, London The conference will launch the first report in a series that will chart UK progress towards living well with dementia and the road ahead. Findings are based on the outcomes that matter to people with dementia and carers and include how well people with dementia are living within their community.

This is your chance to be the first to hear these findings and help debate the dementia agenda for the year ahead. Dementia is a societal challenge and the conference is for all those who would like to join the conversation about good quality of life for people with dementia in 2012 and beyond.

This is the direct link to the page on the Alzheimer’s Society is: www.alzheimers.org.uk/dementia2012

Social workers: have you ever had a security guard accompany you on a home visit?

Mad World — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:44:43 GMT

One of the major talking points in episode 2 of social work documentary Protecting Our Children was the use of security guards on a home visit. We put together a light-hearted poll to find out just how widespread the practice is: Online Surveys & Read More......(read more)

The Race Of My Life

Norrms — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 15:03:00 GMT

The Race
Of
My Life
Imagine this, you are in a race, as the starting pistol goes off it’s a bit of a sluggish start until you seem to grow (as in Life) with confidence until eventually you get into your stride. For a short while you are watching all those around you in this race, learning and trying to understand their tactics (early years)

Then, just as you think you have everything under control along comes someone pushing and shoving you out of the way (Your teens) you don’t like this as you think you are the best at everything and know far more than anybody else. Eventually, you realise you don’t and you come to understand that in life you have to make the best of every day and continue to learn as much as you can.

And so the race settles down again and goes at quite a leisurely pace until you realise to will have to run a little faster, you have to speed up to keep up with everybody else and make sure you have enough energy to see this thing through so you’re not letting yourself down or any of those around you (Family, and children ) After a while you start to notice you are pulling away from the pack and doing quite well for yourself, you begin to puff your chest out, work a little harder at winning this race called life, only a few more laps to go (middle age).

THEN!!

“What’s this got to do with Dementia? I hear you call

Just as you turn the corner on the finishing straight (middle to old age) you hear footsteps behind you, getting closer and closer, you can feel their breath on the back of your neck. Who is this that’s getting closer and closer and trying to beat you to that glorious finishing line

As you turn to look, your worst fears are confirmed, it’s the one competitor in the race you didn’t want to see, trying to take over you and get to the winning line first, yes it’s a certain Mr Dementia, running shoes and all. You start to run faster and faster, pushing yourself every inch of the way, sometimes there is a gap between you (good days) sometimes he is right on your shoulder (Bad days) but no matter what, something deep down inside you tells you not to slow down, because if you do, you know that he will cross the finish line before you do !!

And so my friends, who wins this race we call life? Who crosses that Wonderful Glorious finishing line first, punches the air with Victory and continues on to do a Lap of Honour????

Some of us will come first and do that lap of honour, but unfortunately some of us wont, and for some of us the race IS STILL ON !!! This is one race I am in myself, this is one race that could go one way or the other, but please believe me when I say I promise this in one race I will give my all, and never give up!!

This is one race I intend to win!!!!

Always running
Norrms xxxxxxxxxx

Did I understand you?

How not to do Social Work — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 21:20:00 GMT

Have you ever wondered how easy is it to communicate what you want to say? When you are anxious or nervous, angry, sad or just confused! for me I can find it very difficult and often find myself tripping over the words that I want to say. However, as Read More......(read more)

Protecting Our Children: Live chat is back on Monday

Mad World — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:39:51 GMT

The second episode of BBC2 social work documentary Protecting Our Children screens on Monday 6 February at 9pm. And our live social work chat will be happening once again too. Join us and our panel of social work experts from 8.30pm as we preview and Read More......(read more)

Are we asking too much of The College of Social Work?

The Social Work Blog — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:43:35 GMT

Yesterday's launch of The College of Social Work was high on enthusiasm and morale-boosting comments - for the profession and the college - and low on doubts and scepticism (as I blogged earlier, there was just one mention of BASW ). That's perhaps Read More......(read more)

BASW elephant in the room at College of Social Work launch

The Social Work Blog — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:25:01 GMT

Yesterday was the official launch event for The College of Social Work, held in the rather grand surroundings of the Institute of Directors offices on Pall Mall ( here's the room if you're interested), where pinstripes and low taxes, not cardigans Read More......(read more)

From The Very Beginning

Norrms — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:16:00 GMT

For all of you who hasnt read my story from the beginning, this is how it all started, how i came to be diagnosed four years ago and what happened next, this is the first thing i ever wrote and posted about my illness, hope this helps, best wishes, Norrms and family
Expiriencing Dementia http://wp.me/P2aatR-F via @wordpressdotcom

Protecting Our Children live chat - your comments

Mad World — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 09:47:30 GMT

We had a great response to the live chat we organised during BBC social work documentary Protecting Our Children. Just click on the chat box on the page and you can review the 500+ comments made by our panel of experts and the social work contributors Read More......(read more)

Protecting Our Children BBC social work doc: Live chat tonight

Mad World — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 09:40:24 GMT

I'm sure you will have all heard about the BBC social work documentary, Protecting Our Children , which starts tonight (Monday). Don't forget that tonight you will be able to join a live discussion, directly before, during and after the programme Read More......(read more)

Radio Interview Today

Norrms — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 09:37:00 GMT

Hiya Guys and good morning, just to let you know i will be on www.riviera.fm just after 11am this morning talking to presenter Kev Star about the Torbay Dementia Action Alliance and guess what? You can listen to it over the computer all over the world !! I just love technology !!LOL Hope to get the word out ok, love Norms xxxxx

DAD day and Lewy Body`s Society

Norrms — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 16:08:00 GMT

Hiya all on CARESPACE and BEYOND !! , please help and please share, looking forward to your e mails, Norrms

http://youtu.be/MYRDcJAs3Lo

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.justgiving.com%2FDementiaAwarenessDay2012&h=VAQEML7iq
...
New website is
http://dementiaawarealliance.wordpress.com/

My e mail is norrms@gmail.com

15th Sept 2012 Dementia Awareness Day !!

Norrms — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:24:00 GMT

DEMENTIA

AWARENESS

DAY

15^th Sept 2012

It is with such pleasure that this year`s chosen Charity to benefit from this year’s Dementia Awareness Day or D.A.D day as we love to call it will be the

LEWY BODY`S SOCIETY UK

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lewybody.co.uk%2F&h=-AQGJhvX-

info@lewybody.co.uk

http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Lewy-Body-Society/111252483728?sk=wall

Lewy Body`s type Dementia is the second largest dementia known and yet very little is known about this particular strain. Hopefully whatever we raise will go towards not only raising awareness for this wonderful cause but will also help towards finding a cure. Please help by organising an event any time between now and Sept 15^th (The Big day) Sponsored “ANYTHINGS” are always welcomed. A just giving page will be set up soon to make sure that every penny donated will go straight to the Lewy Body`s Society direct.

Last year we raised £2,233 28p for Dementia UK, this year, with an early start and events throughout the year leading up to the big day itself we should be able to beat this. If you are thinking of holding an event either in the coming months or on the day please contact the above links, or contact myself on

norrms@gmail.com

Thank you so much, very best wishes and here`s to the best year yet !!

Norrms and family

Dementia Aware Alliance (My New Website)

http://dementiaawarealliance.wordpress.com.

Dementia Awareness Day 2012

Norrms — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 09:49:00 GMT

On Friday morning 27th Jan 2012 i will have the great pleasure of announcing which Charity will be benefiting from this years "Dementia Awareness Day" I am so excited about this as its all starting to come together already and also this will be our second year, lessons were learned last year but i am happy to say they were all good ones !!! A "Just Giving Page" will be opened shortly after for all donation`s leading up to the day and on or after the day itself Sept 15th 2012. If you want to hold an event before the day itself to donate to the final total in September then please do. Dementia has no set time lines, then why should we ?? So, thinking caps on, and all suggestions welcome, come September i am hoping we will have smashed last years total of £2,233.28p. THANK YOU SO MUCH, Best wishes, Norrms and family xxxxxx

Reclaiming Good Suppervision

How not to do Social Work — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 11:01:00 GMT

One of the most important resources that Local Authority's have in supporting vulnerable families and children is their Social Workers and their valuable support staff. Which is worrying in a time where cuts are being made to budgets that for some Read More......(read more)

Who have i become ?

Norrms — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 10:10:00 GMT

Who Have
I Become?

Shouting, screaming every night,
Eyes of Demons shine so bright,
In my sleep I fight the fight,

WHO HAVE I BECOME?

Tired eyes and bewildered stares,
Nothing familiar anywhere,
Awful feeling no one cares,

WHO HAVE I BECOME

A touching hand in the dark,
Gentle voice just like a Lark,
My “Angel” Elaine makes her mark,

WHO HAVE I BECOME

All my fears overcome,
Dreams and Demons all but gone,
And at the rising of the sun,

MY LIFE IS NOT YET DONE!!

Norman Mc Namara “Lewy Body`s In Poetry”

Last Nights TV Appearence

Norrms — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 09:44:00 GMT

About 15 mins in

A man in the early stages of Dementia wants his home town of Torbay in Devon to become "dementia friendly". http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-16603642

TV Interview On Dementia Action Alliance

Norrms — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 09:35:00 GMT

As you know yesterday i was interviewed about the Torbay Dememtia Action Alliance i am spearheading, this is the link so you can watch my interview about the Torbay Dementia Action Alliance on BBC Spotlight TV South west which will be broadcast at 6-30pm tonight, lets hope it raises the bar even further when it comes to awareness raising, have a great day, Norrms xxxxxxxxxx

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006pfr1

Dementia Action Alliance Near You ??

Norrms — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 15:52:00 GMT

Can you do this where you live ?? This is what i have asked the buissnesses in Torbay, Devon UK to do, and we have had a very good response so far, could it work where you live ?? Any questions please let me know , Norrms

Torbay
Dementia Action
Alliance

The Torbay Dementia Action Alliance was born on the 12th January 2012 after a meeting with a dozen Torbay councillors and other representatives around Torbay was held at Dunboyne Court, St Marychurch Rd Torquay.

The next meeting will be held on the 9th Feb 2012 at 11am at the same place (ALL WELCOME) . A Core Steering group was formed and it was discussed how to raise awareness of this awful disease among retail businesses/ Tourist industry/ public services and travel throughout Torbay with the eventual outcome being that Torbay will become the 1st Dementia friendly area in the Country/World.

Training tools are already available regarding information on how to raise awareness amongst staff (Please see link below)

The Aims of the Alliance are as Follows, we would like THREE simple questions answered.

1. What are you doing at the moment to help improve services for those with any type of Dementia?

2. Are you willing to improve your services by way of training and awareness raising amongst your staff. (training tools provided for you)

3. Will you please sign up to a NON contractual Declaration that you would be willing to do this over the next two /three years and also keep the Alliance involved in your progress by way of a series of maybe quarterly meetings (TBA) and also e mails ect.
This is without a doubt the biggest health crisis of our lifetime and time really is of the essence. We are also hoping to have some sort of Declaration badge awarded by yourselves (Yet to be designed) to show the general public and other businesses that you are proud to be “DEMENTIA AWARE”

Yours Sincerely, Norman Mc Namara (Diagnosed with early onset Dementia 4years ago)

E mail norrms@gmail.com

THERE IS NOW NO EXCUSE!!!!

To all Retail Businesses/Tourist Industries/ Travel services’ and public services and all the other public bodies who want to raise awareness about Dementia here in Torbay , there is now no excuse as to why you cannot involve people with Dementia in your services and plans for the future!! Here are the tools for you to use, we, myself included who have a diagnosis of dementia along with some very dedicated professionals have produced these for you to use. Please follow the link and look for “Involving People with Dementia resource cards” As I said earlier, there is now NO EXCUSE for not doing so, thank you, best wishes, Norman Mc Namara

People living with dementia in the South West launch ‘What Works’ resource pack - South West Dementia Partnership: http://bit.ly/vcI8pC

The Horror Of Lewy Body`s Dementia

Norrms — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 17:24:00 GMT

PLEASE SHARE

The Horror
Of
Lewy Body`s

Something was holding me DOWN!!

I twisted and turned, shouted and screamed, something was holding my wrists so tight I couldn’t move, I felt as I was being pinned down by an unknown force. It was pitch black and I was beginning to panic. I kicked my legs out furiously hoping to make contact with something, or even someone!! Time seemed to have stopped still as all I could hear was my heavy breathing and the beads of sweat ran down my face and made my eyes sting as the salty drops entered them. What do I do? Do I give in to this invisible force, do I let fate take its turn on me and just await the outcome?

The room seemed to becoming a little lighter, I relaxed a little and tried to look around me, trying to recognise where I was. Things started to come into focus as my eyes adapted to the light, and there she was, my “ANGEL” right in front of me, holding my wrists together on the bed and trying her level best not to panic. Her voice started to become soothing as I eventually emerged from this nightmare/night terror and relaxed a little more. I looked upon her reassuring face and felt a horror I had never felt before. The HARD HONEST TRUTH is Elaine had to try and hold down all the 19stone+ of me because I was shouting, kicking and screaming in my dream like state, and believe it or not, her first words were “I was trying to stop you from hurting YOURSEF!!!

What “COULD HAVE HAPPENED” is truly too horrible to think about, and the everlasting thought in my head ever since has been just that! “WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED” It was quite a while before any of us drifted off back to sleep and I have that sneaking feeling I fell asleep first as Elaine watched over me until I was back asleep.

This is the kind of thing nobody tells you might happen
This is the thing that sometimes “No one wants to talk about!!”
More importantly this is the kind of thing that loved ones and carer`s have to put up with on a nightly basis “YES NIGHTLY” not weekly or monthly but every single night!!!

Yet this is the kind of thing that happens all over the world every night and so many people are at a complete loss as what to do.
This is why we must keep up the awareness raising, the fight to bring ALL TYPES OF DEMENTIA out of the darkness and into the public domain, as I am sure, that the more people know, the more they will help, thankfully that is human nature

Please follow this link and “CLICK ON LIKE” to learn more about Lewy Body`s Type Dementia
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Lewy-Body-Society/111252483728?sk=wall

Norrms

The Fun Fair

How not to do Social Work — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 15:05:00 GMT

Have you ever wondered how working in social work is like riding on the 'Merry-go-Round'. Every day, week and month you get back on the ride appearing to go around in circles. Restricted by the legislation and budgets from veering off the path Read More......(read more)

How Time Fly`s

Norrms — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 11:13:00 GMT

HOW
TIME
FLY`S
I can’t believe it’s a month ago since my Community Psyche Nurse came to see me about my medication, but here she was again, and once again my “Angel” Elaine was explaining to her how things had been. After what I had wrote last time about being told how I was doing things without even knowing or remembering them I must admit I have been a little consciences of what I have been doing (or is that Paranoia creeping in, mmm, note to self “Think about that ONE !!)

Either way I thought I had it covered!! NOT A CHANCE!! It was at the point where it was mentioned I am walking right behind the car as it is reversing and Elaine has to get out and tell me to move for my own safety. Apparently this has happened a couple of times but it was news to me!!

All of a sudden what I call “The Concrete Overcoat (Depression) descended and I had a million different thoughts racing through my head. Within minutes I was totally convinced I was going to be sent away for my own safety as I wasn’t safe to be left alone for one minute, and all that that contained ran through my head like a bursting dam!! A feeling of desperate loneliness enveloped me, the feeling that “This was IT!! and that I would have to be looked after in a secure environment instead of in the bosom of my every loving and supporting family.

I could feel myself starting to panic and shake!! The blood ran cold through my veins as my mind and heart entered this epic battle of who was right and what might be the most sensible explanation and outcome!! Just as I thought my head and heart was about to explode a loving arm came around my shoulder and the cold dark place I had just visited slowly began to warm up and all began to become clear.

I could hear Elaine telling me that me being on my own was not nor ever will be an option. My CPN was trying to say that this wasn’t the reason for her visit and it was clearly upsetting me so the meeting was over if I wanted it to be. As time elapsed common sense prevailed (As well as a HUGE HUG) and I calmed down.
Sometimes, no matter how good you are with words, no matter how delicately you think you are putting things, no matter if the last thing you want to do is upset anybody, DEMENTIA rears its ugly head even higher than usual and convinces the person with this awful illness that all is lost. This is the time when sometimes a very cool head (And a HUGE HUG!!) is needed until things pass eventually and as naturally as possible.

I hope this helps all to understand this disease a little better and helps tell those in the same position as me that sometimes, just sometimes, nothings quite AS BAD AS IT SEEMS.

A Day To Remember 2012

Norrms — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 18:36:00 GMT

Norm's Profile · Alzheimer's Society - South West England's Profile · Norm's Wall

Norm Mac Alzheimer's Society - South West England

A
Day To
Remember

12th Jan 2012

Today I stood in front of half of the Council of Torbay, and others.
Today I asked them for help to set up a Torbay Dementia Action Alliance.
Today, the first steps were made towards creating a T.D.A.A...

TODAY WAS A DAY TO REMEMBER!

As the time approached 10-50 are, I sat there, like a nervous little bunny rabbit imagining the worst!! “What if nobody turns up??” By 11am the room was quite full, not as many as expected but we had at least 12 of Torbay’s councillors under one roof including the Chairman of Torbay Council, and other community workers.
After the Local Newspaper Pictures taken and warm handshakes were exchanged it was down to business. Ian Sherriff from Plymouth University opened the meeting, I spoke second, straight and from the heart, Debbie Donnison came next (Area manger of the Alzheimer’s society South West) and then it was a Q+A session.

Without boring you all too much, we had FULL support from all the councillors, we had a promise of exchanging contacts of people I hadn’t even heard of who would happily sit on the steering group, and best of all, without asking we were told that people at today’s meeting were going to contact people who would quite happily contribute something to fund something like this.

If I had any complaints it would be that we didn’t have any volunteers to actually “Chair” this group, but we did have volunteers for the steering group.. I was asked to, but I had to explain that it’s the nature of my illness that means I might not be able to make all the meetings required, especially any evening ones.
Still, we have made a start; we have raised awareness within Torbay Council that this is what needs to happen, we have a date for the Next Meeting,which is 9th Febuary 2012 at the same venue (Dunboyne Court Torquay) 11am, we have made contact with some of those who can make things happen within Torbay, and they are going to contact those who will come along, join the steering group and hopefully make Torbay the first dementia friendly place in the UK

Today the

TORBAY DEMENTIA ACTION ALLIANCE WAS BORN !!!!!

Please share with all you know, and if anybody want any information about it please just e mail me

Are you thinking of joining the College of Social Work?

The Social Work Blog — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 16:33:12 GMT

The College of Social Work was launched last week and there are probably lots of social workers out there pondering whether to join it. If you are one of those social workers and need a bit of help, Mithran Samuel has written an analysis of some of the Read More......(read more)

Torbay Dementia Action Alliance Meeting today

Norrms — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 08:41:00 GMT

Good morning all, well, the nerves are kicking in now, i will be going out to meet and greet in about an hour or so and then let the "BIRTH OF TORBAY DEMENTIA ACTION ALLIANCE begin!!! i promise to keep you all fully informed after, have a great day xxxxxxxxx

SCIE appoints new chief executive

Mad World — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:28:19 GMT

News just in from the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) - Andrea Sutcliffe (left) has been appointed as its new chief executive, to replace outgoing head Julie Jones. Sutcliffe is currently the chief executive of the Appointments Commission Read More......(read more)

New psychological treatment for chronic depression trialled

Mad World — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 16:02:35 GMT

Researchers from the University of Southampton are testing whether a version of dialectical behaviour therapy is effective in treating refractive, or treatment-resistant, depression. The approach is based on the idea that "depression is not the primary Read More......(read more)

Overheard

Norrms — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 15:40:00 GMT

OVERHEARD

As you know I am also on extra medication now for my Dementia so this has to be monitored every month, and every month my Community Psyche nurse rings Elaine to ask how things are and to set a date and time to come round and review my new medication.
This was such a call I walked into last week as I entered the front room, and just as I did I heard

“Other people are starting to notice more now”

I walked around the front of Elaine and raised both my arms and eye brows as if to say “Excuse me? Elaine carried on with the phone call as if nothing was wrong and finished by agreeing for my CPN to come round next Friday. As there are not, or never have been any secrets between us I wasn’t surprised to hear that Elaine said she had heard me coming in so what she had said wasn’t a secret. Of course I accepted that but it still left the Question hanging in the air until I said “What do you mean other people are beginning to notice?

Apparently whilst out with friends lately and also at the memory cafe a few of my close friends had remarked to Elaine, that I didn’t look or seem myself (That’s Dementia speak for “We think he is getting worse!) Do you know when I heard this I was absolutely mortified!! Not because I have Dementia, Not because I am ashamed I have Dementia OH NO! But because I hadn’t noticed it MYSELF!!! The sheer thought of other people noticing something about me that I wasn’t aware of is so frightening and upsetting it’s hard to put into words!!

This is the reality of this terrible disease!! This is what it does, its creeps and waits silently until your guard is down and tries to destroy every one of your everyday functions, slowly, and so efficiently at times. Also that’s not all, it crushes your confidence as you begin to doubt everything you do and say. This disease is not just about FORGETFULLNESS!! When will people begin to understand this!! It’s about how it reduces your ability to live a normal everyday life as it strips you slowly of all your life skill’s you have learned and it is utterly ruthless, incredibly SLY and underhand!!!

As for me, has it knocked my confidence in what I do and say? I would be a liar if I said NO, of course it has, not to the point where I question everything I say or do but it’s certainly shaken me a little bit. But what it has done is made me realise that I am not invincible and that every waking moment I am raising awareness and trying to make other peoples life better is never a moment wasted, and I will continue to do so for as long as I can, and that’s a PROMISE!!!

So Brave

Norrms — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 16:29:00 GMT

So Brave

I will never forget that awful day,
When dementia came to take you away,
All those memories, all those years,
Running down my face, now as tears,
Why is this life, oh so cruel,
Trying to turn you into Demmentia`s fool,
But above it all, you stood tall,
When dementia, came to call,
Every day you stood and fought,
So determined, not to be caught,
Its all this, we will remember,
When looking back, on life`s embers,
How brave you were in dementia`s Face,
Never slowing to its pace,
So goodbye my love, see you soon,
On the bright side of the moon

Helpline won't be enough to protect social care whistle-blowers

The Social Work Blog — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 15:07:34 GMT

As the government launches a national social care whistle-blowing helpline, Roger Kline argues that it needs to do much more to ensure social care staff can safely raise concerns about problems at work. The repeated scandals in health and social care Read More......(read more)

Assessments?

How not to do Social Work — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 20:59:00 GMT

Life has a funny way of having patterns, last year my second blog was about assessments. And again this year I am left thinking about the effect of assessments especially when they have been done badly. An assessment is being described "as the beginning Read More......(read more)

Torbay Dementia Action Alliance Meeting Next week

Norrms — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 17:51:00 GMT

Hello all, just to let you know the plans for next week’s first ever meeting of the Torbay Dementia Action Alliance are well under way and we may well have a attending not only the Mayor of Torquay (hopefully) but at least 16 of Torbays councillors have also pledged to come, along with the chairman of Torbay Council and his wife. We have also had interest from the NHS, adult support services and the Mental heath team here in Torquay, poss over 40+ Gulp LOL as well as all over the country and I am so looking forward to it, but will admit to being very nervous as I have never taken anything on as big as this before and i am begining to wonder where i am going to put them all LOL LOL

We are hoping to make Torquay the first Dementia Friendly town in the uk (World ?)

It will hopefully bring people together all over Torbay itself to sit and discuss a way forward in the improvement of services for people with Dementia. I am hoping after the first meeting which will set up a steering group, invitations will be sent out to businesses like the Tourist board, Transport of all kinds, emergency services, Retail shops and supermarkets, Banks, Post offices and the likes to meet up with the steering group and they will be asked what they think they could do to help people with Dementia. The great part about it is we have the backing of the Alzheimer’s society south west and Plymouth University who will provide any literature on training ECT for staff. This will be done at very minimal cost and if I have to do the training I then I will!! LOL

And the even better news is that the tools to help these businesses in doing this are already available to them in the way of the “HELP cards”

People living with dementia in the South West launch ‘What Works’ resource pack - South West Dementia Partnership: http://bit.ly/vcI8pC

Availible to download for free !!

Which Elaine and myself helped produce so there really is no excuse now is there?? As always will keep you posted but please wish me luck, I am so nervous lol Best wishes, Norrms and family xxxxxxx

Happy New Year 2012

How not to do Social Work — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 12:47:00 GMT

Happy New Year to everyone! Its an exciting time for me writing this blog as I only started writing "How not to do Social Work" this time 12 months ago. The excitement is still there, not know whether anyone is going to read it or is interested Read More......(read more)

A Question on Christmas day

Norrms — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 09:58:00 GMT

Question

Christmas Day

It was a magical day, all the family sat round opening presents, children squealing with laughter and the adults laughing at the daft silly presents we had bought each other. I sat there and scanned the room, I can`t ever remember feeling as proud before as I did that moment, I remember thinking “After all we have been through, compared to some, we really haven’t done too badly!

At that moment my ten year old grandson suddenly said “Grandad, Dementia has been on the TV and radio a lot lately, why is that? The room went quiet and every eye in the room was on me, including the little ones who are always curious anyway so I had to be careful what I said.

I cleared my throat and said “Well, that’s a good question and it’s also good news that you have noticed this, because if you have noticed this, then so have so many others. People are starting to talk about this illness where they haven’t before, “Why is that Grandad? My 12 year old grandaughter asked. Well, it’s a little like this I said, do you know when you have a secret and you don’t want to talk about it to anybody because you don’t know if it will sound silly or not and you get all embarrassed? Yes came the reply, well, it’s a little like that because some people are a little frightened at what people will say when you tell them your secret is you might have Dementia. Will talking about it make things better then Grandad? Asked the 10yr old. Yes it will I said. Just then the six year old piped up

“Well, let’s talk about it all day so grandad can get better!!

At that moment we all collapsed with laughter, well all apart from the six year old who looked quite put out and a little confused, but after tickling him for two minutes he was back to his normal cheeky self!!

OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF BABES EH??

Oh if it was only that simple I thought and hugged him tighter than ever before. After that we had a small conversation about how we all look differently at this awful disease and I joked with the grownups that they weren’t going to get rid of me just yet!! LOL The day carried on after that as if nothing had happened and that was just the way I liked it.

I know all families are different and I know we all have our own opinions about how we deal with this unforgiving illness, but how wonderful it would be if we all looked at it through a Childs eyes, Non Judgemental and the same importance as every other subject they talk about. We have a lot to learn from our children, they don’t see the illness first then the person but the other way round, MAKES YOU THINK DOESNT IT?

Happy New Year to one and all, lots of love, the ever growing and evolving Mc Namara family xxxxxxxxx

Social care 2011: Who had a good year, who had a bad year?

Mad World — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 09:30:48 GMT

by Mithran Samuel and Simeon Brody Good year Kaliya Franklin Franklin has emerged as one of the foremost service user bloggers and campaigners against cuts to disability benefits and care. Blogging at Benefit Scrounging Scum and The Broken of Britain Read More......(read more)

2011, what a year 111

Norrms — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 16:16:00 GMT

‎2011
A year To Remember
Well, what a year this has been, if I forget anything please forgive me but here goes!!
Back in January a friend of mine and me discussed having a Dementia awareness day event just to raise a bit of awareness. Who would have thought only nine months after that it would turn into D.A.D day and become a worldwide event!! Not only that, it’s now recognised by all the big Dementia charities as a annual event in the Dementia Calendar. I can’t wait for September 15th next year; it’s going to ne huge!!
As the year went on you could just feel how special it was going to be. Dementia was becoming the “Watchword” in the media and never before was it getting as much coverage in the media. You could feel it building as the year went on. Around this time Elaine and me were travelling up and down the motorway speaking at conferences and more importantly helping the South west Dementia partnership create something called “What Works” cards which were a tool for all the professionals out there so they could begin to involve people with Dementia in day to day decision making. Those were launched in autumn of this year in Bristol and have been a wonderful success story.
Then, who can forget the wonderful TV advert regarding Dementia!! This was groundbreaking news and so very well done. At last this awful disease was getting the coverage it so deserves. Who knows, maybe the next step will be someone with Early onset will actually be themselves on TV so that people can see there is nothing to be afraid of and reduce the stigma!!
Then came along the Living Well with Dementia booklets that was piloted by the Royal Devon and Exeter hospital and now used literally all over the world!! There are so many things to be grateful for. On a personal note my twin grandsons were born healthy after a real scare, my son who I hadn’t seen for thirty years got in touch and gave me four more beautiful grandchildren.

Unfortunately it’s not all been wine and roses, I had a cancer scare which was so very worrying, I was told that my youngest son Wayne, who I also hadn’t seen for years had died aged 30yrs old last year and was actually buried on my birthday in September, and Elaine had to go in hospital for a scan. I have also lost some very dear friends all over the world to this awful disease, seen my very close friends at the memory cafe get worse as the year has worn on and also been told that I myself was mis-diagnosed and I was told I have Lewy Body`s Type dementia. As usual Elaine has always been honest with me and said she has also seen a decline in my well being and will have to keep a closer eye on this next year, and so to next year!!
Well, things are afoot my friends. I am happy to announce that a meeting will be held in January with the Mayer and councillors of Torquay in the first steps to making Torquay the first “Dementia” friendly town in the UK, and so the Torquay Dementia Action Alliance will become a reality and I am so hoping other towns and cities will follow.
We have the Alzheimer’s International Conference in London in March (really looking forward to that) and I have been invited to another one in May in Gloucester. All this alongside speaking at hospitals and volunteers groups means my diary is nearly full until MAY!! As I always say “I will keep you informed” As you know my “TAGLINE” for 2012 is “Let Us, Help You Help Us” which quite simply means “To all you professionals out there, please just ask those with this awful disease what they think, what their opinions are and how they would like to change things.
Well, I know a lot more has happened, memory cafes, leadership groups and so many other things going the right way, but my friends, it’s up to each and every one of us to keep this going, to reduce the stigma and to talk openly about this once hidden disease that is now coming out of the shadows.
Until next year, from Elaine, Myself and my every growing family LOL have a very merry and peaceful Christmas and a happy New Year, all our love, The Mc Namara family xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Community Care's top 10 stories of 2011

Mad World — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 09:30:00 GMT

We wrote hundreds of social care news stories, analysis pieces, features and good practice guides in 2011. But which stories proved most popular, in terms of hits, on our website? Here is the top 10, in reverse order: 10. Councils withdrawing social workers Read More......(read more)

Unions: No decision made on local gov pensions

The Social Work Blog — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 11:35:11 GMT

Unions have denied rumours that a decision has already been made over the amount social workers and other council staff will have to pay into their pensions in the future. Rather, Unison, GMB, Unite and the Local Government Association have reached a Read More......(read more)

Family Mosaic's care staff back formal strike ballot

The Social Work Blog — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 10:32:10 GMT

The dispute between care staff and senior management at Family Mosaic looks set to continue after Unison's members at the housing association voted in favour of a formal ballot for strike action. Unison said the "drastic proposals" to cut Read More......(read more)

is it working?

How not to do Social Work — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 09:05:00 GMT

Have you ever wondered or noticed how young people's behaviour can sometimes replicates those around them. I only ask because as a social worker you are often asked about outcomes for young people and what are we trying to do to raise these outcomes Read More......(read more)

Explaining Through Verse

Norrms — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 16:31:00 GMT

Explaining
Through
Verse

Worry’s and concerns drifting through my mind,
Dementia, you really are just one of a kind,
My head pulsates with a million thoughts,
Working things out, answers sought,
Frightened look within my eyes,,
Open mouthed, silent cries,
Trying to remember where I am,
Trying to remember all I can,
I remember all, when I was a boy,
Clear blue skies, my favourite toy,
But ask me about yesterday,
Recent memories, yet so far away,
Soon my eyes fill with tears,
Of unknown time, missing years,
I sit and ponder about tomorrow,
With heavy heart so full of sorrow,
I only wish a cure would come,
And be salvation, just for some,
But until then, I have this curse,
Trying to explain within this verse,
My daily fight with this awful disease,
I just wish my mind would ease

Tilly`s 16th Birthday

Norrms — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 09:03:00 GMT

My Grandaughter "Tilly`s 16th Birthday Meal

As we sat there last night my mind wandered back to when Tilly was only three and we were moving down to Torquay.We took them to Rhyl and she had a blue ice cream which stayed on her tongue for an hour after, and the time we went to Mc Donalds and she had a baked bean stuck to her eybrow. All these things were going through my mind when someone whispere...d to me "Tilly`s Here"
As i turned i had to catch my breath, there stood in front of me was this young lady, 5ft 11ins (In heels LOL) blond hair, blue eyes and looking stunning. Believe it or not my heart sank and tears filled my eyes as at that moment i knew i had lost my little girl. But within a nano second the proud grandad stood up and i felt 50 feet tall, that my little girl had turned into this wonderful young lady after everything she had been through. Bruno Mars once sang "When you smile the whole world stops and stares for a while" and thats what it felt like. She walked srtaight over to me and a huge hug ensued. As i wispered our secret saying "Who loves you more than me ? She wispered back " No One ! and i replied "No one ever will" she just said quite simply "Thank you Grandad" no more words were needed and a great night was had.
If anybody wonders why i write about something so personal its because i want all the world to know that no matter what this awful disease of Dementia throws at me, it will never win, and i will carry on to treasure moents like this for a long time to come, it will never beat me or my famly xxxxxxxxxx

hello i am back :)

lizzer — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 21:18:00 GMT

i have returned from nowhere, in fact i am a bit rubbish with passwords so have two blogs the other one is here: http://www.communitycare.co.uk/carespace/blogs/ladybird/default.aspx but i am going to be blogging on this one now. i have decided to start again as i have been just accepted on the approved mental health professionals course and feel like i would like to share my experiences again.

the interview was interesting i was interviewed by a service user and a university lecturer and it lasted about half an hour, the questions were very much around anti oppressive practice and the AMHP role and my reasons for wanting to pursue the course. being asked why do you want to be an AMHP is actually a harder question that it at first seems, i struggled for weeks thinking about this........i think the reason why i want to do it is i see it as a natural progression in the career of a mental health social worker, and the fact you can really make a difference to someones life when they are at their most vulnerable, it's not as simple as admitting someone to hospital it's about ensuring that all options have been thought of, that peoples experiences are not pathologised and ensuring that the medical model which is by nature quite paternalistic is not the most important model.

working in mental heath over the last two years has been a real learning curve, at times i have not had time to reflect and consolidate my learning but when i have had the time it has shaken me up and turned my views on their head and then back again! mental health is not the same as physical health in that people go into hospital but dont always get better, the risk just gets contained and the crisis may ease but the mental health issue is usually a long process that takes time to reach a stage of recovery and it has been interesting to manage people's expectations. i work in an Early Intervention in Psychosis team which works with 14 - 35 yrs old and it is heartbreaking seeing parents desperately hoping and pushing for their youngster to go into hospital and come out sorted because that doesn't quite happen, they often come out medicated and just beginning on the journey of learning to mange and live with a psychotic illness. i know that if it happened to my son i would too want someone to sort it out treat him and get him back to how he was but i now have the knowledge that my work with families is often about coming to terms with the loss of their expectations for the child and helping them find different ways of managing.

someone once said that social work is often about loss and grief and i totally get that now.

Christmas looked after spirit

How not to do Social Work — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 21:05:00 GMT

Its not long to Christmas to now, even in the office the decorations have gone up under strict health and safety guidance! I have even forced myself and the kids to listen to xmas albums on our iPod every morning during breakfast, to try and find some Read More......(read more)

'This is early intervention': a social work view of family troubleshooters plan

Mad World — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 15:12:08 GMT

David Cameron's plan to tackle 'problem families' is early intervention work by another name, according to a College of Social Work representative. "And a lot of early intervention services have been cut," pointed out Laura Eden Read More......(read more)

What do troubleshooters do that social workers don't?

Mad World — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 11:47:39 GMT

David Cameron is to announce plans for a network of "troubleshooters" to give more focused support to troubled families. It all sounds very good but leaves me with a few thoughts. What will these "troubleshooters" do that social workers Read More......(read more)

E-newsletter Christmas schedule: last email on 16 December

The Social Work Blog — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 11:49:00 GMT

For all those of you who receive our daily or weekly e-newsletters , here is our Christmas schedule: The last email of 2011 will go out on Friday, 16 December. The first email of 2012 will go out on Wednesday, 4 January. So, don't panic if you don't Read More......(read more)

Return of the 'child snatchers'

The Social Work Blog — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 20:43:06 GMT

I was appalled to read this headline in the Sunday Express at the weekend : "Social workers 'sex up abuse claims to snatch children for adoption'." Have we gone back in time? Have tabloid newspapers learned nothing? In 2009, Community Read More......(read more)

SWSCmedia live Twitter debates change gear and go weekly

The Social Work Blog — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 12:01:36 GMT

by Claudia Megele, a social worker and service director of A Sense Of Self, which offers support groups, psychotherapy and counselling services in London. SWSCmedia's Twitter debate on "Early Intervention: Concept, Context, Realities and Prospects" Read More......(read more)

A Christmas Appeal that wont cost you a PENNY

Norrms — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 11:46:00 GMT

CHRISTMAS APPEAL

As you all know I was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s four years ago, and only a matter of weeks ago i was re-diagnosed with Lewy Body`s Type dementia, did you know Lewy Body Disease is the second most common form of dementia in older people, and yet it gets very little publicity even though its the second largest type of Dementia Known!!! Tomorrow, over the weekend, leading up to Monday and onwards i will be starting a Christmas/ New year campaign to highlight this almost forgotton and misunderstood type of dementia. I will post tomorrow , please, i know i have asked a lot this year but could you please help me with this over the coming weeks. If you put in Lewy Body`s Society,
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Lewy-Body-Society/111252483728?sk=wall
you will see the membership at the moment stands at about 1.350+ Please help me to get it to 2,000 plus before the New year or shortly after, Just visit the page and click on "LIKE” and then share with everybody you know, best of all, it won`t cost you a penny !!! Best wishes, Norrms and family xxxxxxx

REMEMBER

A CURE MAY ONLY BE A CLICK AWAY

Music, black dogs and better mental health

Mad World — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 15:40:54 GMT

Three things I've noticed: 1. Ruby Wax has launched Black Dog Tribe , a new site for people with depression - it's currently in beta and focuses on ways people can support each other. It features lots of interaction and multimedia stuff. 2. Social Read More......(read more)

Stanger`s In The Night

Norrms — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 17:19:00 GMT

Stranger`s

In The

Night

I just knew I was in for a bad night, twice before I went to bed last night I fell over our dog Shane. He always has a habit of sitting at my feet and leaning on my legs. When he lies down you have to literally step over him. Thing is, he died over eight years ago, but there he was yesterday, clear as day, yet another hallucination!!!

As I stepped over the invisible dog the second time, I just caught Elaine’s eyes looking at me filled with sorrow. This hurts me so much. How does Elaine put up with this??Would I?? All these questions were running through my head as I went to bed later and a fitful sleep ensued.

The next thing I remember is waking, screaming on such a high note it could have shattered glass!! The sweat was running off me as if it was the middle of summer and I was shaking as if I had just seen a ghost. I settled down eventually and tried to sleep again but to no avail. From what I remember I woke up shouting and fighting three times after that, and that doesn’t count the time I am forever kicking out.

Sometimes I open my eyes in the darkness and the figures and strangers who are trying to hurt my family are still there, lurking in the shadows without care or shame, sniggering, teasing, swearing at me, goading me to get up and have it out with them. It happens mostly at night but has been creeping into daytime as I sit in my chair, so real, yet, as I write this, it sounds so ridiculous.

As you know I have been given the drug Exelon to coincide with the drug Ebixa I am taking to try and stop these nightmares/hallucinations happening (Well for a bit anyway) and I have been started on the lowest dose for a month so my review should be coming up soon I think. Until then, I carry on fighting, shouting and screaming at all hours of the night, my “Angel” Elaine, never complain`s and just gets on with it. I am at a total loss as how she puts up with it, and if I am really honest with myself, and you, unless I was actually put in that position, I really don’t know if I could.

So that was a little glimpse into what our nights are like on a regular basis. To all you carers /caregivers and loved ones out there that also put up with this day in day out, you are truly the real angels upon this earth, and I am, for one forever grateful for all you do.

Best wishes, Norrms and a very tired Elaine xxxxxxxxxxxx

Hutton: Public sector pensions 'heading for the rocks'

The Social Work Blog — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:46:57 GMT

Last week's downgraded growth forecasts from the Office of Budget Responsibility makes the case for public sector pensions reform more urgent , according to Lord Hutton - which may feel like a slap in the face to the hundreds of thousands of public Read More......(read more)

I Dont Belieeeeeve it & Poem "Passing By "

Norrms — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 10:51:00 GMT

I Don’t

BELIEEEEEVE IT!!

I have left this latest post a couple of weeks on purpose just to see if the person involved (Who shall not be named) has realised yet what they said, but alas, not as yet, this is what happened.

Two weeks ago we were setting up the memory cafe when one of the VOLUNTEERS came over and asked me if I could remember what date and day we, as volunteers where having our meeting to organise the Christmas party? Try as I might, I couldn’t, so I just looked the person and said “Really?? You are asking ME?? LOL. Her reply still has me reeling, she replied without a blink of an eye

“Well, that’s your fault for looking and acting so normal !!!!”

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now normally I would put anybody who said this right with an answer of

“Normal? As opposed to what????

But I must admit it threw me, hence leaving it so long to tell my friends. HOW THE H*LL are we supposed to change things around here when one of our own volunteers are coming out with something like that?? And!! To add insult to injury, this person has just finished running a care home after 30yrs!! Good God!!! The mind Boggles!!

This just show`s, not only what I am up against every day but also the carers and loved ones of those who have this awful disease face every time they step through the door. Are we really looked upon as “Not Normal”? Is that how Joe Public see people with Dementia?? Would they dare say the same about someone with Cancer or Heart problems??? I think not my friends. I am the first to admit there is a long way to go, but I promise you all I will not rest until this awful stigma has been banished forever. Have a great weekend, Norrms and family xxxxxxxxx

Passing By

You see me walking, passing by,

And yet you don’t hear my cry,

I see you smirk and walk away,

Will you ever understand I pray?

The nods, the winks, the nudges too,

Am I really so different to you?

Just because I have dementia,

I still love life, this great adventure,

Will you ever speak to me?

Instead of passing by, for all to see,

Or do I sit here, all alone,

With my thoughts, on my own,

I still hope, and I pray,

Dementia never comes your way,

So next time, your just “Passing by”

Give us a smile, and just say “HI”

Best wishes, Norrms and family xxxxxxxxx

Books now availiable in UK

Norrms — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 09:44:00 GMT

I am so pleased to say that all of my three books are now on Kindle and all in English, German, French, Italian and Spanish translations. This is the first time my poems book “More Than Words” has been on kindle and also my “Me And My Alzheimer’s” book (my first ever book) Thank you all for being so supportive and please remember every book/kindle sold will bring us closer to a cure of the awful disease, please share with all your friends and contacts across the world, all my very best wishes, Norrms and family xxxxxxxxx

More Than Words, Poems by An Alzheimer`s Sufferer by Norman Mc Namara http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B006HHVCIE/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_1v42ob0NA384F

Me And My Alzheimers by Norman Mc Namara http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B006HHIQXI/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_zu42ob0WPPGGW

Silent Voices "My Battle With Alzheimers Rages on" by Norman Mc Namara http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B006ELWQK6/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_Ww42ob04QVAM4

Post Qualifying Learning

How not to do Social Work — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 09:18:00 GMT

As a qualified social worker its easy to get caught up in the work, easy to become bogged down in assessments, crisis and supporting families and other workers. But sometimes what it is not so easy to do is to look at your own training needs. Thankfully Read More......(read more)

Jeremy Clarkson's anti-strike rant on The One Show angers public sector unions

The Social Work Blog — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 11:49:46 GMT

Unison has called on the BBC to sack Jeremy Clarkson following his comments about striking public sector workers on The One Show yesterday. For those who missed it: Read More......(read more)

Pension strikes: Dealing with 'betrayal at dawn'

The Social Work Blog — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 09:26:20 GMT

Simon Cardy, a Unison steward and children's social worker in a local authority in the west midlands, shares his experiences from yesterday's strike over public sector pension reforms. "At 7am yesterday morning two trade union members turned Read More......(read more)

Dementia Aware Facebook Page

Norrms — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 16:54:00 GMT

Hiya all, this is my weekly video blog, i usually do it on a friday but i am early this week as i would like to talk about the new facebook page "Dementia Aware" and why we think it was important to set up at this time, please let me know what you think, best wishes, Norrms and family xxxxxxxxxx
http://youtu.be/k-K1bOuxYoI

Unison: The public service 'pension pinch' #N30

The Social Work Blog — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 11:46:56 GMT

Scroll down to find out how Unison predicts a 54-year-old social worker will be affected by the government's proposals to reform public sector pensions. Read More......(read more)

Torbay Dementia Action Alliance

Norrms — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 10:18:00 GMT

TORBAY DEMENTIA ACTION ALLIANCE IS BORN !!!!!!!!

I cant believe i am actually writing this, but its true!! Yesterday i had a phone call from the Councillor from the Adult Services Dept who had liased with the Mayor of Torqay. They both, and other councillors believe its a fantastic idea and want to meet around the table in the New Year to set a framework up and discuss how we can make everyday living much easier for those affected by Dementia.
WHAT A XMAS PRESENT!!! They sounded so excited and Enthusiastic, and to top that (If i could) the manger of the memory Clinic and the Commissionairre of Torquay services also want to ba at the meeting !!!! Upwards and omwards my friends xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Social care and social work staff prepare to strike

The Social Work Blog — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 10:05:47 GMT

Social care professionals and social workers are among the hundreds of thousands of public sector workers preparing to strike tomorrow. Although the exact numbers of social care staff taking part in the national pensions strike is not yet known, some Read More......(read more)

College of Social Work launch postponed

The Social Work Blog — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 10:16:15 GMT

The Guardian reports this morning that the launch of the College of Social Work has been postponed amid claims that the £5m public funding made available to start the organisation is being used to create a "closed shop" for the Unison. More Read More......(read more)

Unison: Why social workers should strike on 30 Nov

The Social Work Blog — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 16:34:37 GMT

Unison's general secretary, Dave Prentis (pictured on the right), tells Community Care why the union is encouraging social care staff to take part in the national pensions strike on 30 November . "Social care staff, already buckling under the Read More......(read more)

New social work boundaries tool and an ethical minefield

Mad World — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 16:12:47 GMT

The GSCC has produced a really snazzy looking interactive tool which social workers and students can use to test their knowledge of professional boundaries. I had a go at it and particularly enjoyed the sound effects. The tool involves a number of different Read More......(read more)

Hear My Voice

Norrms — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 08:44:00 GMT

Hear My Voice
Will someone please hear my voice?
I have dementia, though not by choice,
My days and nights pass me by,
Will someone out there hear my cry?
... Inside this body, I’m still me,
Speak to me and you will see,
I have thoughts, I have a heart,
To listen to me, would be a start,
Yes it’s true, I do forget,
The months, the days, the time that’s set,
But if you listen, you will hear,
About my life, what I hold dear,
And I will tell you of my life,
That did not end with Dementia`s Strife,
I still have, so much to do,
Hear my voice, and you will too

Best wishes, Norrms and family

Social worker fees will be 'appropriate and realistic'

The Social Work Blog — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 14:51:51 GMT

Marc Seale, chief executive of the Health Professions Council (HPC), responds to our article, Social workers could pay twice to register next year . "The HPC is conscious that some social workers may have to pay both their General Social Care Council Read More......(read more)

Child Protection

How not to do Social Work — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 20:35:00 GMT

If you could point a finger at someone to blame for the cuts that we are starting to shoulder and feel the bite of who would you point it at. I would imagine that it would be like a game of spin the bottle but no one wanting to get in the cupboard with Read More......(read more)

Moving Times

Norrms — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 14:03:00 GMT

Moving
Time`s
It happened so fast yesterday, one minute I was sat at my computer, the next I was sat in the chair in the front room with my “Angel” Elaine hugging me tightly and telling me all would be ok. As I sat there, I looked down, and the stains of a thousand tears were starting to dry out on my t shirt. I have no memory of how I got there or what started it off, but the feeling of helplessness completely overwhelmed me and I knew I was in a “Bit Of Trouble” as we have come to call it. The next few minutes were a blur of questions without answers and confusion ruled my head. Minutes or longer passed as we sat there holding on tight to each other as if we were going to fall, it seemed like an age before the ”FOG” lifted from my eyes and I asked to get some fresh air.
I
n Torquay we all have our favourite beaches, mine is called Meadfoot Beach and it is beautiful beyond compare, rugged yet full of life. Elaine knew without asking where I would like to be and drove straight there. The car park always has a few people on but we were lucky enough to get a space that overlooked the whole beach. The tide was just going out and the tips of the rocks were just beginning to appear with fleeting visits from the local Herons, not knowing if to trusting their landings or not just yet as the waves crashed over the rocks.

I wound the window down and took a deep breath of the salty air, so refreshing. Hardly a word had been said on the five minute drive from our house, but I liked it that way, just for once, and Elaine always seems to have the knack of knowing when that was. I have never believed in these Natural remedies people talk about as I think I am a scientist at heart and always demand good honest hard proof, but the sight in front of me would clear anybody`s head. As we sat in complete silence I looked across Torbay and there, in front of me was a sight that will stay with me forever. It was fast approaching 4-15pm and the sun was setting. Just barley touching the sea was a red hue which shimmered and bounced of the waves so gently it looked like an artist gently painting brushstrokes of red wine across the waves as they moved. Above that blue sky was still the deepest blue with a whisper of a white cloud now and again and as the sun set the whole scene looked like it had dropped down from Heaven itself, just to show the earth how beautiful nature was, and no matter what life throws at you, there is always something out there to look upon in amazement.

Elaine took hold of my hand and we just sat there in silence until the last rays of that wonderful sunset disappeared from view. My problems seem to melt away with the very same sunset and all was well with the world again. Sometimes the medication just doesn’t work and no matter how much vocal support you may have, it just doesn’t sink in, but what had happened to me was magical beyond words and there wasn’t a chemical to be found anywhere near me. I cannot say hand on heart if the same thing would have the same affect on me should the need to occur again, but I just wanted to share how this “Old Scientists” heart was melted by the beauty of nature and how I will tend to look at things just that little bit differently from now on.

Lots of love, Norrms and Elaine xxxxxxxxx

Supervision in social work and social care

The Social Work Blog — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 11:34:03 GMT

by Claudia Megele, a social worker and service director of A Sense Of Self, which offers support groups, psychotherapy and counselling services in London. Professionals and tweeteratis came together again last Tuesday for Social Work/SocialCare and Media Read More......(read more)

Different Day, Different Diagnosis

Norrms — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 09:30:00 GMT

Different day,
Different Diagnosis

Well, it’s been a few day`s now since I was diagnosed with Lewy Bodies type Dementia after being told I had the Alzheimer’s type four years ago, and as promised, I will explain to you what this means to me.
To be honest it didn’t come as a shock as we had investigated this before but had just taken my old consultants word on it (I now have a new one as you know) so we did know a little about it, but I can now say I now know a lot more about it than I did and I must credit that to some of my wonderful friends here on the internet who sent me some wonderful information on the subject. I have been given Exelon now to take alongside my Ebixa and I must admit to feeling a little “Spaced “at the moment but hopefully that will pass. It’s the probable sickness I am not looking forward to as I am not a “Sickly person” even when I drank!!LOL

I must admit though to being knocked sideways when I heard the news, you would have thought I had become accustomed to it by now, but does anybody ever get “Used” to hearing the news they have dementia?? I shouldn’t think so. The more I read about this type of Dementia the more worrying it becomes.
Have I become complacent in thinking I am ok and just got “Used” to my illness? The symptoms are very similar apart from the Hallucinations, Nightmares, smells and sounds. I must admit to thinking (Fleetingly) “How much more can anyone take!!” but then I just felt so selfish as I know it’s my Angel Elaine who will suffer and my family will struggle seeing me imagine things that aren’t really there.
We now have to look at this illness all over again, we have to think how we can change things, how we can do things for the future which will benefit all. Once again I will have to sit my family down and prepare them for the worst because the hallucinations began a while ago, only minor ones, but still. The nightmares still come thick and fast and I sometimes have trouble separating reality from dreamlike states. It’s like starting all over again in some ways because some lifestyle changes will have to be made. Sleeping arrangements, respite for my darling Elaine and so forth. All these things have to be thought out, talked about and prepared for.

It’s now a case of “The rules have changed and the goalposts moved, GAME ON AGAIN!!! Yes these are worrying times, there is no such thing as Bad dementia or better dementia there is just DEMENTIA and no matter what type it is unless a cure is found the outcome is just the same. You can’t just have a “Touch of “ Dementia, that would be the same as being a “LITTLE BIT “pregnant!!! But my friends, my resolve is just the same and my determination to beat this thing is still as strong, albeit a little more battered these days LOL
The more I think about it the more I know we were just right by calling it “Dementia Awareness Day” because it’s so important we include ALL types of Dementia when we are fighting to raise awareness of this awful illness. So where do we go from here?

Well, the awareness raising will be stepped up another gear, and at the forefront will be more awareness about Lewy Bodies and other types of Dementia, as for me and my family, we will come together as one, as we always do and plan for the future best way we can. Am I frightened? YES, absolutely terrified, but am I ashamed of having this awful illness whatever type it is? CERTAINLY NOT, and never will be. And of course I couldn’t finish a blog off without thanking each and every one of you who have supported , helped and befriended both my family and me, each and every one of you are my hero`s, thank you and bless you all, all our love, Norrms, Elaine and family xxxxxxxxxxxx

Norrms, "This Is Your Life " LOL

Norrms — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 16:34:00 GMT

Bolton Lad`s

Life

All the names of people or places in this story have not been changed, so if you want to sue, I don’t give a bugger!! By the time this goes to press I shall be sat on a beach somewhere in Torquay, eating a Cream Tea!

Early On

I was born at a very early age, on a cold September night in 1957, and after giving my mum 5 days hard labour, I finally arrived. For years I thought I was Italian because I was told I was a caesarean baby, which I presumed was somewhere between the Coliseum and The Leaning Tower of Pisa!! Mind you, as it turned out I was half right because I was christened a Roman Catholic (Answers on a post card please) My early years were mostly spent in hospital with an enlarged heart, but that will be explained later on, as I don’t want to bore you so early into the book! My earliest memories were of watching All in Wrestling from the Writon Stadium, Bolton, while keeping completely still and quiet while my Dad checked his results on Empire Pools. Not an easy thing to do as a four year old! We never won, but we had an Uncle who won £3,500, which was a fortune at the time, but no good come of it. He later died of cancer, penniless but not unloved. This was to start a chain of events that could sound very similar to most people`s upbringing in the North West of England. So sit back and enjoy my versions of events which differ`s completely from my Mothers!!!

School Days

I went to a good catholic school called Holy Infants at the age of five, though my mum had already taught me to read and write, and my dad had taught me how to open a bottle of beer with my teeth before I was four! That was to be the start of a long relationship with the dreaded bottle. Growing up, booze always figured somewhere, my dad would work away all week doing multi drops (This was way before the invention of Techographs) and my mother would work long multi shits making Disposable Bed Pans, I kid you not! So it was up to my poor Granny to put up with my tantrums ECT, her answer, a bottle of Red Rose Stout, just before bedtime, I didn’t stand a chance! My mother couldn’t understand why I was still wetting the bed at aged 10yrs old, it was simple, I was half pissed by the time I got to bed! Mind you, I was a very slow starter, I was breast fed until I was eleven. The stories my friends used to tell their friends were legendary, and my mother never flinched once as she breast fed me through the school railings every lunchtime! Primary school wasn`t too bad, it was right on the edge of Astley Bridge Park where I spent most of my most formative years. That sounds posh doesn`t it?

The years spent on the park were as important as any school education, you know, first kiss, first fag, you get the idea, and learning all about loyalty amongst friends was an invaluable part of growing up. There are too many to mention but here goes, Cheers, Mick and Skin! Well, it was a very small gang!!!

Secondary

School

Secondary school was a very different matter! The school I went to was called St Anne`s RC High School, just off an estate called Top Of Brow, or, as it was known locally, The Gaza Strip! I turned up on my first day, hungover, in my shiny new uniform, only to find that the normal clothing of attire was a white T shirt, Denims and a pair of Steel Toe Capped Dr Martin`s!!! Boy did I grow up fast! I had never seen such gratuitous violence in my life, and that was just the teachers! The sight of Tony Gill being thrown across two desks and pinned against the wall by a teacher who shall remain nameless but who had the biggest beer gut I had, or have ever seen, shall stay with me for life! You know who you are Mr Liddell, Oops, Ah well, Torquay here I come! And I wouldn’t mind but tony wore Callipers on his legs, so anyone of us could have been decapitated as he flew across the classroom! The one good thing I do remember was So Cool Dinners, as I called them. Now I come from an age of you get what you are given or starve, which preached now, would probably be a breach of some Human Rights Act and have Ester Ranzen foaming at the mouth! Anyway, back to school dinners, we always had a substantial lunch with a proper homemade pudding, and on Fridays we had coffee instead of water, posh eh? Dinner ladies of the seventies, I salute you and thank you, for some of us it was the only decent meal we had all day, and, I needed something to soak up the beer!! By the second year the pecking order was in full flow, and, we wasn`t first years anymore, so a certain amount of respect, all be it small, was expected from them below us. Then, one day after having plums and custard for pudding, the usual plum stone fight erupted. Just from the corner of my eye I saw this snotty little Herbert throwing plum stones at our table. Well I couldn’t let an opportunity like this pass me by! As I got up and approached the offender I was grabbed round the neck in a choke hold until I nearly passed out, then, as I fell to the floor I was given a right kicking from a fourth year, who just so happened to have a brother who was a first year who liked throwing plum stones! The Tungsten Red shoe polish off the Dr Martins is a right bugger to get off your face once it’s engrained on. That night I also got a right kicking off my old man (Yes kid`s, it is true what you have heard) for not sticking up for myself, and wearing red make up! Happy days.

The third year wasn`t much better, in fact it was probably the worst school year of my life. I`d hit adolescence and puberty with a bang and nobody but nobody could tell me what to do or say! I knew everything, or so I thought, anybody that has kids, boys or girls will know what I mean. At thirteen I lost command of the English language. All questions were answered with a WOT, DUNNO or Can`t be bothered. Catherine Tate did not invent it! And for some reason started drinking from the fridge (I still do) and putting the empty bottle back in, sound familiar? I rebelled to the point that I came last in class! I could blame Pat Lyons who was sat next to me during the exams, but I won`t, (Hi ya Pat!) You can imagine the look on my parents faces when they saw my results, then you should have seen the look on my face as I tried to look out of the only eye that wasn`t swollen.

The beatings I got off my dad were regular and often, and I don’t mean a clip round the ear either. My Mother used to say “He`s only doing it because he loves you” I used to think “I used to think “I wish I was eighteen so I could love him back!!!” One of his favourite sayings was “Go and get me something to hit you with” so one day I came back with a balloon! It was worth the hiding just to see the look on his face, still makes me laugh now! By the time I had reached fourth year I had exorcized all my demons and decided a different approach was needed to survive school. I played for the school football team,(average), got involved with most school activities, found out that history was really interesting and English wasn`t half bad! At this point I would like to thank a certain Mr Doyle for all the support he gave me in History lessons, in later years he saw me in a red dress and make up, but that`s a story for the next book ( if there is one) STEADY MADAM!!! The one teacher I did like and who tried until he cried to teach me Tech Drawing was Mr Booth. The times he stood over me, willing me to understand a blueprint, when all I could ask him was why we were learning about Egyptian Hieroglyphics in his class???? None of it made any sense to me so a job in anything to do with DIY or building ECT was out of the question? Wait till you read near the end of the book, you will never believe what I ended up doing, Hey! I said wait!! And so I entered the 5^th year full of hope and great plans for the future. That was until my Dad told me I had to leave at Easter, two months before my exams and get a job as times were hard So, gone, before I knew it were my schooldays, and now I was sixteen and facing the big bad world practically by myself with no idea what to do or where to go for work.

When anyone asks about my schooldays I always say they were mostly happy times, I was out of the house and learning to become the man I am today. Oh, and the fourth year who gave me a pasting, was later in life sentenced to Eight Years for unnatural practices with a dog, see, there is a God after all!!!

Teenage Years

So, there I was, sixteen years old, no qualifications, UB40 in one hand, and a handful of optimism in the other! In a way I suppose I was lucky, as a new ASDA had just opened on what used to be Old Escrick`s Mill facing where I lived. Getting the warehouse job was a doddle, all you needed were two arms and legs and Hey! You`re hired! I spent about three years there before I went onto pastures new. The only thing I can remember about ASDA is stocktaking day which was always held on a Sunday (Years before they made you work on a Sunday) Some people I know, no names mentioned, used to turn up looking like the wino`s from Moor Lane Bus Station, stock take the clothing department, and walk out at 1pm looking like one of Burton`s Dummies!! In my wisdom I decided to go and work for the same firm as my Dad, big mistake for more reasons than one! The firm was called Automotive Products, which produced Air and Oil filters for cars ECT. After being a labourer for twelve female spot welders, honest, this is no lie; I took my test on a fork lift truck and passed first time. Considering I had never driven anything in my life, and still don’t, I was quite pleased with myself. So there I was, no car, no girl, but could drive a six ton stacker truck!! What a babe magnet!!!

At twenty I met my first and only wife, at twenty three I had three children, and at twenty four I was divorced and on my own again. If you are waiting for the juicy bits you are going to be disappointed! The one thing I do remember is telling a Rep he could park his car in between the two factories we had rented since the old Factory had burned down 2yrs earlier. Having a memory like a err err, no its gone, anyway, on my way back to the goods outward with 4 ton on my forks I suddenly stopped. I reversed, stopped then went forwards again, only to stop again. This I did five times before I suddenly realised what was stopping me going forward! Gingerly, I climbed off my forklift truck and edged my way to where the car was, when I say was, I am not joking, all that was left of it was the bonnet, driver`s seat, then the bumper. My arse nearly fell out of my trousers! After calling for the Rep over the Tannoy by saying there had been a slight accident, Irish Stan the security guard always did have a wicked sense of humour, the rep arrived, head in hands and pointing fingers at me. I ask you, as if I’d be stupid enough to say he could park there! He was absolutely livid!!! At one point I thought he was going to keel over, his face went a lovely colour of crimson and I could see he was weighing up if he could reach me before Stan stepped between us! Eventually all was resolved, with me still denying I had ever spoken to him, and him threatening to sue!! I can still hear him now, The Little lying B*****D, but what was I supposed to do with four lunchtime pints inside me??? One day, redundancy reared its ugly head and the promise of a couple of thousand pounds was too much money to turn down. So off I went, money to burn and beer to drink, by this time it had a real hold on me.

The next couple of years were a real blur, I finished up in a squat with my oldest friend, the bottle, and a handful of mates who liked a drink as much as me. Typically, depression set in, and after a few spells in the local (special wards) I ended up in the Salvation Army hostel on Duke Street near Bolton Town centre. Now there`s a lot to be said for these places, and part of me will be forever grateful for putting a roof over my head, but after drinking with these boys who could drink pure meths by the pint, you can imagine the state I was in. But I will say nobody made me do it and I was 26 at the time, so only me to blame! The only real friend I made was called Mark and one day we decided to explore the country for a couple of weeks. This lasted for nine years, seven of them sleeping rough (Don`t try this at home kids) we ducked, dived, didn’t pay rent and lived off the land, now that was a lie!! We were starving half the time and looked down on like the dregs of society. We worked for the travellers for a few months, Tarmac Yer Drive Sir, and learned just how gullible some people really are. The one that stands in my mind was the Millioneress`s drive in Hampshire. One day while we were Tarmacking the drive, about 900yrds long, she asked if we had anything that would kill the tree stump we had just skimmed round. Quick as a flash, Milo, yes that really was his name, said he had just the thing in the cab! After emptying his bladder into an empty milk bottle, produced the “ Tree killing fluid “ and showed it to the lady, explaining it was an age old family recipe and was sure to work. Just then, her son arrived on the scene, and explained he was a chemist for ICI, and enquired about the liquid. Before you could say p*****g in the wind, he took the bottle from Milo, smelt it, tasted it and poured it on the old tree trunk!!! Look mum, he shouted, it`s working already, its steaming!!!

I had to pretend I had a coughing fit and Mark was round the other side of the wagon, collapsed in a big heap holding his stomach and giggling uncontrollably I won`t tell you what he charged for the job, but I will tell you he charged the son and his mother an extra £50 for his miracle Tree Killer!!

Eventually time and the lifestyle took its toll and sadly Mark did of a massive heart attack whilst being arrested outside of Winchester Cathedral. My days as a road man were over, without Mark it was no fun, and I didn’t trust anybody else to mate round with, so homeward bound I went and arrived back I the Sally Bash in Bolton three months after Mark had passed away. Sometimes I still sit and think of him, and the things we got up to, too many to mention in this story, with great fondness. Someone once said, you can count your real friends on both hands only, during a lifetime, I can count mine on one finger. But the stories I could tell my grandchildren, if I ever had any, would be full of adventure and visits to many strange and wonderful places, like Oxford Night Shelter, and the spike at Walkden. From what I remember, a lot of good times were had but also a lot of violent times, which is something that will stay with me to the grave, but all in all, a great Adventure. Even now, I think of those boys I have known, and those who are in the same position now, as I was, especially on cold, wet winter nights, and raise a glass or two for those I have known and those I have lost, albeit orange juice these days!!! Good luck to you, one and all. The next time you pass anybody on the street, homeless, you don’t have to give them anything apart from a smile and a wave. At least then, they know they exist!

The Last Lap

So, there I was, full circle as they say. Back in the Salvation Army hostel, still having a major drink problem, but with a roof over my head for the first time in years, and back in my home town. Staying there did nothing for my drinking, but it did get me back in touch with my parents, who, while a lot older than I remembered, where very happy and relieved to hear my roaming days are over. This came as quite a surprise to me and probably went a little way to accepting that I was getting older and needed to get sensible for once!! Some months down the line I was actually in a relationship with someone who worked at the hostel, but it didn’t last, as I was still a single lad who enjoyed life to the full, who couldn`t and wouldn`t be told what to do or not to do by anybody. It was always destined to fail as she wasn’t really into my kind of lifestyle and the nagging was incessant!!! Then, one day I helped a friend move into a different hostel up the road from where I lived and she was there, my saviour, my soon to become my best friend, and to whom I owe my life to! She has asked me not to name her and her wish is my command so I will call her my pet name “Hobbit” After a couple of weeks of dancing round each other, so to speak, we finally went on our first date. Yes, you`ve guessed it, it was in a pub and to my utter surprise Hobbit didn`t drink or smoke and had never done so!! Turns out she had just come out of a 17year marriage and had two grown up girls and a boy of twelve. Would it work? NEVER! Everybody shouted, it was time to grow up!!!

The Future?

So, here I am, fifteen years down the line, with three stepchildren who now (Sometimes) talk to me like I’m human, seven wonderful and beautiful grandchildren, and content in every way. I don’t drink or smoke now, but the difference was Hobbit didn’t ask me to give up any of them, I did so of my own accord, and the only down side is at 50 years old I’m retired due to heart failure and can`t work again. No prizes for guessing what kind of lifestyle caused the illness!! So there you are, from start to present day that`s my story, well nearly. Thanks to my darling partner, The Hobbit, who believed in me and supported me all the way, my last job of employment was a Store Manager at a very large D I Y store in Torquay. Mr Booth, my Tech drawing teacher would have been very proud of me!! The Question is, would I do it all again? What do you think??

P.S. Since writing this I have now been diagnosed with Early Onset of Alzheimer’s Dementia/ Lewy Bodies Type dementia/. Isn’t life a ***** sometimes!!LOL

Together as one

Norrms — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 10:37:00 GMT

Together as One

Alzheimer’s, Lewy Bodies, PCT,
They all mean, just the same to me,
I have Dementia, of that they are sure,
And as we know, there is no cure,
So are we all different, or just the same?
We all have dementia, just differing names,
If we all came together, and joined up as one,
Can you imagine what good could be done?
I have this dream, that maybe one day,
Together as one, we will be able to say,
WE BEAT YOU DEMENTIA, TOGETHER AS ONE,
NOW IT’S OUR DAY, YOUR DAY IS DONE!!!
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Community Care Live Children and Families: Highlights

Mad World — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 15:53:36 GMT

Thousands of social workers, social care staff and students gathered at the Business Design Centre in London for Community Care Live Children and Families yesterday. There were lots of highlights and some incredibly popular sessions. Delegates queued Read More......(read more)

SCIE adds Ealing social work chief to board

The Social Work Blog — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 11:22:14 GMT

The Social Care Institute for Excellence has added David Archibald, the executive director children and adults at Ealing Council, to its board. Archibald started out as a social worker in Glasgow and Birmingham and became the director of social services Read More......(read more)

Caring

How not to do Social Work — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 09:59:00 GMT

Why did you become a social worker? it is a weird question and each of us have our own reasons as to why we trained, studied and qualified as a social worker. The reason I am now wondering this is because I was asked or I suppose told that the reason Read More......(read more)

Are these the winds of change ??

Norrms — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 10:51:00 GMT

The Winds
Of Change
Changing times are ahead, and I must admit, sometimes change is difficult to deal with, especially when you have a diagnosis of dementia. In the last seven days I have been informed I have a new Consultant regarding my Dementia, and also, as a double whammy I had a letter yesterday saying my GP of twelve years plus is retiring. Normally this wouldn’t be a problem with most people but something like this can have a real adverse effect on people with Dementia.

I have found myself worrying about this so much, all sorts of connotations and thoughts have passed through my mind and it’s so unsettling. Things like this, that most people would take in their stride has made me so fretful. On top of which I have an appointment with my new consultant tomorrow along with my Community Phsyc nurse and the topic is going to be “Lewy Body’s”

Because of my intolerable nightmares, smelling things and hearing things that aren’t real I have also gone through a stage of thinking I have seen something that has never happened, that after a very long conversation between my “Angel Elaine and my CPN (Nurse) there is now a thread of thought that when I was diagnosed with early onset dementia it might actually be Lewy Body`s rather than Alzheimer’s!!

Some would say I have been miss-diagnosed, but either way I STILL HAVE DEMENTIA and there is still no cure (AS YET!!)

So, what now?? Why do I feel as if I have been set back four years!! Why does it still feel as raw being told this than it did four years ago when I was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s type Dementia, and why do I feel just as devastated now as I did then??

Because my friends, I know what the end result Is, I am seeing my friend`s who have the same diagnosis as me but are a little farther down the line, slowly disappearing in front of my eyes every week when we meet. The feeling of hopelessness and utter despair still feels as if it’s attached to me and never left me. This is the truth of this disease! This is how this disease drags you down and pulls you towards the depths of despair. It doesn’t matter how many times you are told you have dementia, the effect is just the same!! But I promise you this my wonderful friends, be it, Lewy Body`s, Alzheimer’s or any other type of dementia that may try to take me away from my family and friends, it’s got one HELLUVA fight on its hands!! This is one very Determined (Young LOL) granddad!!! And I for one intend to stay that way until the day a cure is found!!

All our love, Norms, Elaine and family xxxxxxxxxxxxx

For your information

Norrms — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 08:42:00 GMT

(Mapleton, ME) – Remembering 4 You a leading support, information, training and coaching website for caregivers and providers of services for individuals with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia worldwide name="_GoBack">announced its new website which features state-of-the-art support, challenges both caregivers and institutions to put a new show on the road. The new website showcases three main areas: Family Caregivers, Professional Caregivers, and Institutions. This website was written and maintained by its owner/operator Dr. Éthelle G. Lord. Her TeleClass offerings augment effective communication skills of caregivers and management, negotiating partnership agreements between family caregivers and institutions, and learning a new language called Alzheimer’s.

Remembering 4 You is truly an innovative way to provide support and training to the Alzheimer’s caregiving communities all over the world. “Because I’ve been there” says Dr. Lord, the information contained in this new website quickly addresses problems and offers solutions to issues by providing cost-effective means of improving the level of care. Partnership with family caregivers is a brand new perspective that has never been explored in the marketplace and whose time has come. Too many family caregivers shy away once their loved ones need to be institutionalized with Alzheimer’s. Dr. Lord’s partnership agreement assures that family caregiver maintain the primary caregiving role and consider moving from a one-on-one (home care) caregiver position to a one-on-seven, or more (institutional care) caregiver ratio.

Whether you are new at caregiving or an experienced caregiver to a person with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia, this website is for you. If you are a provider of long-term services to individuals with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia, you have now been challenged to put a new show on the road. Share your story. For more information, please visit www.remembering4you.com or call (207) 764-1214 today.

Long week

How not to do Social Work — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 21:01:00 GMT

Is it possible to keep positive in social work at present after the amount of cuts that have already been made and the level of cuts that have not yet come? For me the answer has to be yes, why? in my second student social work placement in the youth Read More......(read more)

One moment in Time

Norrms — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 11:59:00 GMT

One Moment
In
Time
One moment in time, a moment so pure,
When they announce “WE HAVE A CURE”
... What a moment that will be,
A joyous day for all to see,
No more dementia, no more pain,
No more to lose, so much to gain,
Tears will flow, but not of sorrow,
A wonderful day, a brand new tomorrow,
Have faith my friends, one day soon,
There will be no more dancing, to Dementia`s tune,
We will stand, heads held high,
And no more tears we will cry

Best wishes, Norrms and family xxxxxx

Another Dimension

Norrms — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 17:31:00 GMT

Another
Dimension
Call it lack of sleep, call it continuous nightmares, call it what you want, but the fact is, lately, its like I have been living in another dimension, another time and space, very similar to yours but a few minutes behind!! For those that remember, I once wrote a blog called “Ten second Delay” (for those of you who haven’t please feel free to ask me for it) well this is similar... but different in other ways.
As far as I remember it all started around Tuesday when Elaine “Apparently? LOL” stood next to me and asked me to do something. I remember looking at her and saying “Why are you looking at me like that? Elaine replied “Do you know what I just asked you to do, or do you think I am just stood here keeping you company? I had absolutely no idea what she had just asked me, I had no memory of her asking me to move whilst she hoovered the bedroom, even though she says I looked her right in the eye and answered yes first time!!

This was the beginning of what I call a “BITTY” few days where I always seemed to be ten minutes behind everybody else and try as I might I couldn’t keep up with the conversations going on around me. If I had a pound for every time I had been “Nudged “this week for staring into space I would be a rich man! It’s as if sometimes I go into a world of my own, a catatonic trance and even though I have no memory of what I have been doing or what I have been thinking about, I remember doing it when I have been brought gently back to reality, but I never remember how long I have been doing it for.

I also raised some eyebrows in the post office the other day, it was my grandaughters first birthday and we were sending a parcel on Saturday morning to get there for Monday. Our postmaster is really understanding and I explained to him that it was her first birthday on the Monday and then in the very next breath I said” Still if it doesn’t get there by Monday, she`s only nine months old so she won’t know if it’s a day late!! Not a blink from the post master but giggles and nudges everywhere else. I hadn’t even realised what I had said until we had got outside and Elaine explained to me what the funny looks were for!
I despair sometimes at my mistakes like this and it just serves to remind me that this awful disease still has a firm grip on my mind. The things that sometimes come out of my mouth sound so sensible to me but not apparently to anyone else. Sometimes I sit here and write, just like this, perfectly ok, and other times I write, but when I re- read it’s as if I have had someone’s else’s hand attached to my wrist and they have just been scribbling nonsense!! I sit and watch television and I have started to hear noises that are perfectly normal within the house but to me they are Alien sounds. I am forever asking “WHATS THAT!!? “When in fact it’s only the washing machine changing programmes, or something that’s on the television??

So here I sit, sometimes here, sometimes not, but I promise you I will never try to be too far away, and if sometimes my writings seem a little “Off Piste” then please accept my apologies.

By writing things like this I am hoping it will explain just that little bit better how someone like me is trying to deal with this awful illness the best way I know how, and to explain to carers and loved ones out there, this is what we feel like at times, best wishes, Norrms and family xxxxxxxx

BASW seeks views on ethics code

The Social Work Blog — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 13:56:18 GMT

By Tristan Donovan (despite the photo of Ruth) Fancy a discussion about social work ethics? If so then you're in luck because the British Association of Social Workers wants views on the draft version of its revised Code of Ethics . The code dates Read More......(read more)

Publishing the book "Silent Voices"

Norrms — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 17:07:00 GMT

E Mail normmc1957@yahoo.co.uk

Hello, my name is Norman Mc Namara I am from the UK and four years ago i was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s at the age of just 50ys old. Since then i have dedicated my life to helping others with this disease and i am also the Creator and Founder of Dementia Awareness Day, Sept 17th 2011 which is now Global and was recognised by hundreds of thousands of people across the world, on that day and every year after that. It is now a National day with the support of BUPA, Alzheimer’s Society, Dementia UK, Mental health Foundation, Joseph Rowndtree Foundation, Carers UK, Royal College of Nursing and many more This is a little about me, please contact me if i can help in any way. Since my books were published and they are written straight from the heart of someone who Actually has this disease they are now used for training here in the UK and also to help people understand this awful illness a little better.

LOOKING FOR A PUBLISHER

I am hoping you would be so kind to consider Publishing them yourselves these are a couple of reviews i have had from the USA, and also here in the uk, best wishes, Norman Mc Namara

http://www.alzinfo.org/08/blogs/book-review-book-silent-voices

Book reviews

Silent Voices

http://www.alzinfo.org/08/blogs/book...-silent-voices

http://www.alzinfo.org/06/blogs/me-and-my-alzheimers

BBC News - Blogger Norman McNamara organises Dementia Awareness Day http://bbc.in/qeyljb

Body

Link to "Create space e store book "Me and My Alzheimers Book"

https://www.createspace.com/3572088

Link to "Create Space e store" book "More Than Words" Peoms by an Alzheimers Sufferer"

https://www.createspace.com/3571722

This is a very short video of our day in Torquay on DAD day, please enjoy, xxxxxxxxx

OUR DAY, IN TORBAY, ON DAD DAY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqYkvzton24

·

·         Cathy Hattam

‎" In "Silent Voices," Norm Mac , courageously tells us what it feels like to have one's identity stripped away by Alzheimer's. What many can only partially imagine happens as memories are lost, is confirmed in this marvellous book. Besides being a great read, this is a guidebook for caregivers who want to understand what their loved ones are experiencing. "
thanks for sharing with us Norm...i'm sure so many people will find this book very helpful ...including myself as a carer for my mum x

Christine Batchelor

Dear Norrms and Elaine, To-day I finished the book Silent Voices. The book is brilliant and very eye opener. Peter was 54 when he was diagnosed. Your book should be read by Doctors, Consultants and all those involved in this horrendous illness. I know you have good days and bad days but what you have achieved is a book not on fiction but fact. If you can achieve such a mammoth task, and others have a challenge on their hands. My friend Norrms is not giving up he will carry on for as long as he can with his family and friends giving support. So if you see Norrms about always say hi. He does not have a contagious he has Alzheimer's. God Bless you Norrms and Elaine for all you are doing. Love from Christine xxxxx

Please read this article from The Guardian Newspaper, i am also quoted in this article

"" Alzheimer's disease is compelling in fiction because it is so cruel in life | Libby Brooks http://gu.com/p/329hq/tw via @guardian

Thank you for the link Dem Uk, the fight goes on xx

This is part of the interview you didn’t see, hope you like it

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-14906233

Message Body

Hi Norm,

I hope the DAD on Saturday went really well. Here is a link to the BBC article: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-14906233

All the best. Please let me know if you are planning any other events.

Dear all – thought you might like to see my blog for UK Dementia Awareness Day (tomorrow) which has been posted on the Guardian website. http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/joepublic/2011/sep/16/dementia-mental-health . If anyone wanted to post a comment, that would be great!

Fuller version will be on JRF website tomorrow…

All best wishes

Philippa

Thank you my friend Lori, for posting this yesterday

http://alzheimersspeaks.wordpress.com/2011/09/17/today-is-the-first-dementia-awareness-day-known-as-dad/

·         Mental Health Foundation

Today is the inaugural National Dementia Awareness day and to mark it we’re re-launching three of our popular dementia booklets which have each been updated to include the latest legislation and contacts. Find out more: http://ow.ly/6sPQa

Got this through the mail yesterday, from Mary Shultz Alz Canada, so nice to be making a difference

Hello Norm; I just thought you would like to read the reaction of our Scientific Director when I shared your latest writing with him and others. In case you ever doubt it, I wanted you to be reminded that your writing DOES make a powerful impact!

Thank you, as always, for letting us share your world through your writing. It means so much.

Have a sunny, happy day, Norm!

Your friends at the Alzheimer Society of Canada

From: Jack Diamond
Sent: September-27-11 10:33 AM

Thank you Mary. This may be the most powerful commentary on the existence of AD I've ever read!

Jack

Best wishes, Norrms and family xxxxxxxxxx

The bite is getting tighter!

How not to do Social Work — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 17:25:00 GMT

Could you save money when working with children? Would you be able to decide who can have a therapeutic placement or who would have to leave a foster placement to live alone or in a shared house? It's not easy, is it? The impact of this decision could Read More......(read more)

Meeting With National Council of Palliative Care

Norrms — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 16:58:00 GMT

Meeting With
National Council of Palliative Care

Hiya, as you know, I have been in contact with the NCPC (Above) regarding their upcoming conference in December and their non inclusion of people with dementia on their advertised guest list. I met with Joanne Black from the organisation, who I will say from the outset that without a doubt is one of the most understanding, and attentive people I have ever met, and today we discussed the above subject and a bit more as well I am happy to say.

I was happy to hear at the beginning of our conversation that because of my views and e mails they had already began to think differently about how these conferences could be done and as the day went on we got farther into that. It was agreed that asking people with dementia to attend separately, to the publicised list, was not a good thing and they should always be asked alongside anybody else who is also attending. I also stated that when it comes to people speaking about Dementia on the day then they should have the same ratio of speakers with dementia as they would speakers without a diagnosis. This would empower more people with this awful disease to speak up, as well as give those already speaking a “Self Worth” and ownership of what they are doing.

I was dismayed, and informed her so, when I was told the people with Dementia, who would be speaking, would be doing so as part of a “Drama” being produced on the day. The word “Drama” and people “Acting out” a “Drama “scene just doesn’t sit well with me at all. I was informed that these were “real people” telling “real Stories” But unfortunately, to thousands of people, so is Coronation Street and EastEnders!! At the end of the day they are only ACTING and that’s what people will see this “Drama “as, ACTING! I made it quite clear I was not happy with this, and as a result was asked to attend the Exeter conference next March which I said I would gladly do. I also agreed if it’s possible for them to set up, a “LIVE FEED SKYPE” type of thing on the day so I could speak to the conference live on the day (this December preferably before the drama class!!) and explain why I think in my humble opinion why more people with dementia SHOULD be included in their own End of life care plans and decisions.

I was also asked to become an advisor or “Critique” on some new groups that are being set up regarding End of life care and especially finding the right way around talking about such a sensitive subject.

So all in all it was a very positive meeting and we both got so much out of it, and I hope that you my friends, are happy with the outcome of the meeting. I really feel people are now beginning to stand up and listen, people are starting to realise that unless you actually involve the person or people who are directly involved with these things, then you will never get anywhere.

We must embrace the “Sharing” of information and our thoughts of how things we think might work out for the better, and this means including EVERYONE in these decisions and policy making.
Please reply and let me know what you think, very best wishes, Norrms and family

Developing Leadership in Social Work and Social Care

The Social Work Blog — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 15:35:33 GMT

by Claudia Megele, a social worker and service director of A Sense Of Self, which offers support groups, psychotherapy and counselling services in London. Professionals and Twitteratis came together once again last Tuesday for Social Work/SocialCare and Read More......(read more)

When the carer`s need caring for

Norrms — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 13:28:00 GMT

Hiya, this is a reply to all the feedback i got about my "End of Life Video" i did last week, i hope this helps and thank you all for taking the time to answering me, best wishes, norrms and family xxxxxxxxx

http://youtu.be/jOTfgTVp1Qs

Same Question, Different year

Norrms — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 14:14:00 GMT

SAME QUESTION
DIFFERENT YEAR
As I sat in the car on the way to Honiton Memory cafe I began to think about what we had all achieved this year and what I could remember of it. D.A.D day is thankfully, still strong in my mind as are all the good friends I have made over the last few months. I began to wonder about my own health and how I was doing, but as usual, the right person to ask was right beside me driving the car, so I did.

Unknown to me I apparently ask the same question about the same time every year!! This came as a great surprise to me as you can imagine!! I suppose I knew the answer already but I know my “Angel” would tell me the truth either way, and I just wanted to hear it from her. So the question I asked was

“Am I much worse this year than I was last year?”

Elaine looked at me with those wonderful caring eyes and just said
“Yes Norrms, but not THAT much worse” you are without doubt worse than you were last year and we have had to change a few things around to suit us both but we have got there haven’t we?”

With all the best will in the world I wanted to say “yes, I know, I remember, but I couldn’t, so I just sat there in the car and nodded. I sat there thinking “How am I worse, how does this affect everybody, what have we had to change around? As usual Elaine was reading my thoughts and just said gently “Why don’t you count all the good things that have happened this year? The Dementia awareness day you started went Global and is now a recognised day all over the world. You met your son for the first time in 30 years; the twins were born healthy and safe after a few scares, the books you have written are helping others and the resource cards you launched last month have now gone international. The amount of people you have reached with your awareness raising must be in the millions and not many could say that.

I sat there, very humbled and yet extremely embarrassed, I know my life is now dedicated to helping who I can, but I never really sit there and think of its impact, I just sit here at my computer and tell the truth, straight from the heart, of how it is and what I would like to see for the future. My “Angel” knows this but she says it’s just good sometimes to remind me of what’s been happening and what we hope for in the future.

I have two major ideas on the go at the moment regarding Dementia Alliances and making the South West and Torbay dementia friendly aware places and I am working alongside the South West Dementia group to try, at least, to make this happen. I also have a HUGE IDEA on the back burner, but you will have to wait and see on that one!! LOL
So here I am, a little worse but thankfully not quite at the stage where I have to stop doing what I do, and I promise you I will carry on doing that for as long as I Physically and mentally can, you my friends, each and every one of you are my strength and inspiration, as for Elaine, I wouldn’t be here now without her love and support.

Best wishes, Norrms xxxxxxxxxx

Reply to End of Life care Video, SO POWERFUL !!!

Norrms — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 09:46:00 GMT

This is one of many replies to the END OF LIFE CARE VIDEO I produced, my good friend who wrote this has been so very brave in allowing me to publish this, I am sure you will agree with me on this., but she wanted to tell her story through me in the hope that others will try to avoid being in the same situation. She has asked me only to use her first name because of embarrassment, this, my friends is one Very Brave lady and this is her story •

Hi Norms, I just watched your video about End Of Life Care and......I can honestly say, with my hand on my heart, that this is THE MOST VALUABLE video I have ever watched in terms of good advice, practical advice, for families, loved ones, carers etc! You said so much in those seven short minutes....and every single word of it touched me deeply! Now I know I am not being "unreasonable" when I go and visit my Mam in hospital and I find her sitting in someone else's night dress. Or wearing someone elses trousers! Because this really gets to me. I put a lot of love and care into choosing Mams clothes. I buy what she would have bought herself, if she could have. And then I go in and see her sitting there is someone elses trousers with someone elses's stains on the legs......and my heart breaks into a million pieces! And I am accused by staff of being "unreasonable". I dont give out to anybody because I am not a person who engages in confrontation...I just point it out politely. I honestly began to doubt my own expectations, now I know I am not being unreasonable. The other reason this video touched me so deeply was because last Monday, I went to the undertakers on my own to make Mam's funeral arrangements. I have no family or siblings and I knew I had to make arrangements long before Mam died as I will not be able to when the time comes. Sitting there with a brochure in my hands trying to choose her coffin was one of the most awful things I have ever done. I am still crying...almost one week later. My Mam has great faith in God and her saying in life was always "Things will work out". But, in reality Norms as you point out, there are practical things that have to be done. And they HAVE to be done. God is there and helps us, BUT, WE have to do our bit and get all the plans and arrangements made. My Mam refused to discuss her illness. She was a nurse all her life and she believed that she could overcome her disease. She refused to give me Power of Attorney, even though she and I were best friends, but because she thought it would never come to that...it wasn't going to happen to her...but it did.

To cut a very long story short Norms, what will happen to me when Mam dies is that I will have to loose my home because I will have to pay such horrific taxes because Mam refused to take care of any of her financial affairs, anything! Mam would not have wanted that for me....but she would not see the reality of her disease. This is why this video is so powerful and so important. And I thank you for making it. If people don't do the things you suggest in your video, then they willl end up like Mam and me....where Alzheimer's destroys 2 lives...completely and irreversibly. I cared for Mam here on my own Norms for 10 years. For the last 3 years here at home I was beaten physically several times a day by my mother with her walking stick. and many times I was very badly injured. Her disease transformed her into a very very violent woman. I never knew what Mam wanted in terms of hospital care or end of life care. I am now faced with those decisions daily. So my health is completely broken. I wish that this video could be played on the news...so that EVERYBODY....patients, carers, loved ones, nurses, doctors etc could see it and listen to you speak. You are doing so much Norms for people like me and I thank you for all you do. Sending much love to you and to Elaine from ***** this evening, Love Bernadette xx o This is my own and honest opinion on "End Of Life Care" Hope it helps, your friend, Norrms x http://youtu.be/Y_QT9cas37k

No new Mail!

How not to do Social Work — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 22:09:00 GMT

One useful tool Social Workers have, is knowledge and information. Being able to access information to aid assessments quickly helps to develop and maintain relationships. Whilst also making these assessment more accurate and essential to the families Read More......(read more)

Mental illness and creativity link

Mad World — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 16:11:04 GMT

People with bipolar disorder and healthy siblings of those with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia are overrepresented among creative professions, a large-scale study has found . The study is published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, which also points Read More......(read more)

Sleep Apnoea...Dementia/Alzheimers/Oxygen

Norrms — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 16:34:00 GMT

SLEEP APNOEA..DEMENTIA/ALZHEIMERS..OXYGEN

The Journey to Acceptance:

My father ( aged 91 ) was in a care home for 2 and a half years, diagnosed with steadily advancing Alzheimer’s Disease. The second day he was there,in January 2009, he was staring right through me, had no idea who I (or anyone else) was , was wearing a hospital gown and was urinary incontinent. [ He also had completely lost the ability to walk even short distances with his cane or even a zimmer frame ] The carers got him into bed and he soon went to sleep and began snoring loudly, then holding his breath for around 30 seconds at a time and then beginning to breathe again with a loud snort.

I am a Physio by profession and recognised his symptoms as sleep apnoea. As I reflected on the memories of my father, I began to wonder how many years he had been snoring like that. Mum told me later that he had been snoring and holding his breath like that for over 40 years.

I was suddenly startled with the realisation that surely this is a clear form of chronic oxygen deprivation to the body and, in this case, more particularly relevant, is oxygen deprivation to the brain !

My question then became:

“ Could This 40 years of cumulative O2 (oxygen) deprivation be a contributing factor to the aberrant changes in the cellular structure and diminishment in size of the brains of Dementia / Alzheimer’s Sufferers ? ” ...

If so, then:

“ Could a steady oxygen supply give some return of mental and physical function to my Dad and the millions of Dementia / Alzheimer’s sufferers globally, and, beyond that, ... could it possibly be used as a preventative measure for the millions of others showing early signs of Dementia?”

It made sense to me, so I began a quest to test my concerns.

Over the next few months stretching into over a year I persistantly contacted Alzheimer’s Scotland ...then Alzheimer’s UK and then Alzheimer’s Europe ... and initially got politely deflected around one to the other “thanking me for my interest”. I eventually approached the Care Home Management , who were and are still very supportive of the concept, but only the Consultant Physician can prescribe Oxygen in the care home setting and that request could only go to him from a G.P. !

My frustration was high as I know that oxygen is readily accessible in many public places ... With No Medical Prescription Necessary ... to the general public socially, for examples in nightclubs; and in O2 bars in airports and is pumped through the vents in places like Las Vegas to keep the customers happy, awake and spending more money! Therefore if Dad was at home, I could simply have brought it in and got started , but because he was in care home setting I couldn’t ! .... Didn’t make sense.

I therefore duly asked my father’s family Physician if we could get Dad on a trial of oxygen and, after much initial reluctance, stating to me that O2 was dangerous, I was finally referred to the home care Consultant Physician, a Psychiatrist, who informed me that my Dad was not a suitable candidate for oxygen!

[ I should state that I have many years of experience in Oxygen application as I was in charge of chest and lung care and drainage in High Dependency Units and also chronic care wards during my time as Director in Hospitals in Canada and am well aware of the contraindications for oxygen in a very small percentage of elderly people]

Dad did not have history of chronic heart or lung disease, which are the main contraindications against oxygen treatments so I continued to press for answers. My next step was to ascertain that he indeed had sleep apnoea and therefore would be an automatic candidate for Oxygen, so I arranged for a private company to send the equipment to us, which Dad wore for a night, and the results were then sent back to the laboratory in London for analysis. The report confirmed that Dad indeed portrayed moderate Sleep Apnoea and was indeed a recommended candidate for oxygen !!!!

In the meantime I had been persistent in contacts to Alzheimer’s Europe, who eventually agreed to bring up the topic of Oxygen for Dementia / Alzheimer’s Patients at their next meeting ! ... They actually finally agreed that my thoughts may have merit and then ... my first breakthrough:

Alzheimer’s Europe gave me access to a USA university study which stated that, in their research, they discovered that:

“ Over 80% of dementia / alzheimers patients around the world have a medical history of Sleep Apnoea! ”

Just take a moment to consider that statement! ... over 80% have years of oxygen deprivation yet no one seemed to see the obvious need for research into giving them oxygen?

..................................................................................

Next, I received a newspaper article from a friend in Canada, quoting another university study of how:

“ Daily Oxygen Supply had improved the cognitive capabilities of all 100 patients tested in a double blind study in the USA !”

..................................................................................

Then, I received a letter from Dementia UK stating, in support, that in their opinion:

“All dementia / alzheimer’s patients improved cognitively when given oxygen as part of their treatment! “

Finally I was getting somewhere!

..................................................................................

So, I continued to press for Oxygen Prescription for my father, but the physician still (understandably cautiously) felt that there was insufficient clinical evidence to authorise the prescription. Again my frustration was high as it seemed to me that multiple Medications can be given to Alzheimer’s patients, whose effects are not clear, and also their interactions with existing medications being given are also unclear, but Oxygen .. safe, clean and cheap needed proof of efficacy before being given a trial !! ... and through all of this time my father was deteriorating steadily.

..................................................................................

( I should clarify here that Dad would never have tolerated the oxygen on his nose all night as would be recommended for sleep apnoea and that was ok by me ! ... I strongly felt that even a couple of hours a day would make a difference and wouldn’t make him oxygen dependent .... this was all I was asking for ... a chance to show that minimal oxygen use daily would improve dementia patients quality of life ... therefore I needed Oxygen prescribed as a viable attempt at treatment of dementia / alzheimers )

..................................................................................

I continued my quest for acceptance by reminding my father’s physician of the premise that:

“ A Physician has an ethical and legal obligation to first be prepared to try the potential cures that do the least harm to his/her patient.”

Oxygen MUST surely fall into that category !

So a switch in my tactics was now necessary.

..................................................................................

After further research and help from friends I was led to a company which gave me access to small portable units, requiring no oxygen tanks, with a simple on/off switch. This meant that:

Firstly: I could put one of these units in my Dad’s room in the care home, without any insurance risk to the home itself

Secondly: it was so simple to use, I could get my 86 year old mother to apply it each day when visiting, so staff would not have to be directly involved.

Thirdly,: We could then observe and document any consistant improvements in my father’s cognitive behaviours.

Armed with this information, I approached the Physician again only this time my request changed from:

“ Can you please Authorise a prescription for my Dad to have Oxygen?” to

“ Can you please specifically clarify why you are denying my father the use of oxygen?”

This got an immediate response that the Consultant Physician had NO OBJECTION to me bringing a unit in to my father and to my mother applying it, but still would not give a prescription for it so that staff could apply it.

So NOW we had a scenario where:

“ It was apparently ok for my medically untrained, blind in one eye and cataract in the other, 86 year old mother, to administer daily oxygen to this physician’s patient ... but it was not ok for professional staff to apply it as there was insufficient medical evidence !!”

But, at long last I had permission to bring O2 in to the carehome and have it applied to my father !!

..................................................................................

So I purchased a much less effective unit for around £60 and got my Mother to use it on Dad daily to see if we could get him used to wearing the nasal applicator before bringing in the unit we wanted. Dad took to it readily enough, and, when we felt that he was comfortable with the procedure, we purchased the unit of preference, and daily application was initiated around the end of October 2010.

The initial flow was set at 2.5 litres and, after 3 weeks, when no adverse reactions had been noted, was increased to 3.0 litres. Time of application varied tremendously from 30 minutes per day to 3 hours per day depending on how my mother could be there.

There were also several days when the winter weather was too severe for her to get to my Dad and then she had a bout of the flu herself and missed a few more days. Mum was distraught when she couldn’t get to apply the O2 and we often had to calm her and assure her it was all for the best and to remind her that, without her, Dad would not be receiving ANY oxygen at all.

So, the situation was far from satisfactory however:

“Despite the difficulties, my father began to show SUSTAINABLE COGNITIVE IMPROVEMENT !!!”

..................................................................................

Such was the level of improvement noted by all concerned that the physician (GP) called a meeting in mid December 2010 attended by our family; the G.P.; the Nurse Practitioner; and a Staff Nurse from the care home. The staff nurse was in concurrence with our family that there were marked improvements in Dad’s awareness on many levels, noted not just by our family, but by several members of care support staff who work with my father on a daily basis.

Based on the consistency of the evidence provided and ... coupled with the fact that the improvements had continued now for several weeks ... and that ongoing progress was still apparent:

“The physician eagerly agreed to write to the consultant to request permission for a prescription for O2 for my father, so that staff could apply it daily in a structured format and improvements could be more consistently and accurately documented”

We then received the consultants response that he now had no objection to O2 being given to my father on medical referral and left the final decision to the General Practitioner.

We have come such a long way from feeling very much like a voice in the wilderness for my Dad to now having the full written support of the Family Physician; Nursing Staff; Support Staff and Administrative Personnel in our efforts!

However, the G.P, insisted on pulmonary function tests being performed before giving final approval. Dad went through said tests finally on 30^th March 2011 and, on May 25th 2011 my Dad became the first patient in Europe or North America to receive a medical referral for daily oxygen as a viable treatment of dementia !

THE DOOR IS NOW OPEN TO ALL FAMILIES THAT THEY CAN NOW ASK FOR THIS AS THE PRECEDENT HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED.

BEST OF ALL, MY DAD CONTINUED TO IMPROVE!

WE WERE HAVING CONVERSATIONS AND, OF COURSE, STILL FRUSTRATIONS, THAT WE HAD EXPERIENCED IN THE PAST, THAT’S FOR SURE.

HOWEVER, WE ARE ALL IN ECSTATIC AGREEMENT THAT WE WERE BACK TO A CONSISTANT LEVEL WE HAD NOT SEEN IN DAD FOR AT LEAST A YEAR !!

Examples: My Dad suddenly started telling time again .... he didn’t know what a clock or watch was just 3 months previously.

He started talking about the village of his childhood again .. IN DETAIL ..something he hadn’t done for many months.

He suddenly remembered his Dad and where he worked (unprompted by us) and talked about the 3 dogs he owned.

He began talking about World War 2 again and his involvement through the Royal Navy.

He remembered things that happened several days earlier.

He remembered words of songs long forgotten and harmonised beautifully with my Mother daily.

Staff remarked on how they can have “wee conversations” with him which surprised them totally.

He started to crack “one – liner” jokes which caught us all off guard.

He remembered his sons again and that seemed to be expanding to former friends.

He has become more socially active in the daily activities of the care home.

He had a conversation (which made sense) with my Mother on the phone one day when she couldn’t get in to see him.

I’m certain that you can now understand how happy we were for him and how determined we were to continue to fight for him, given the evidence as I have offered it.

..................................................................................

I think that new standard tests will have to be devised as some of the current formats do not necessarily reflect the true picture.

These tests ask questions like what day or date is it, who is the prime minister etc .... these patients have no idea of these things as the repetitive nature of their daily lives make one day the same as the rest.

I feel that families and carers are best positioned to determine if changes are evident, as they see them most often and are familiar with their recent and longterm awareness.

..............................................................................

So, to conclude, I leave you with some thoughts.

SURELY ANY INTERVENTION WHICH NOT ONLY HALTS THE SYMPTOMS OF A MAJOR DISEASE, BUT ACTUALLY REVERSES THEM SHOULD BE GIVEN PRIORITY IN APPLICATION TO ALL SUITABLE CLIENTS?

This is a question I ask you to deeply consider and I hope that each of you will share in a non combative yet persistant manner with everyone you know, both personally and professionally.

................................................................................

For family members of loved ones who suffer from this devastating illness :

I have been told that all patients do indeed improve, but only temporarily with O2 ... firstly I remind the powers that be, that we, the families would give ANYTHING to see ANY improvement in our loved ones ... no matter how temporary ... and secondly, the changes in my father have proven to be lasting and NOT temporary. ( I further note that all of the medications being given are only aimed at TEMPORARY delay of the symptoms, so why isn’t O2 being given AT LEAST that same status?)

I was also told by Alzheimers Scotland that they don’t want to give false hope to families. I remind them that we currently have NO hope and that we will take every precious glimmer of remembrance from our loved ones that we can get.

.................................................................................

Next, My Dad does not drink water ... but he LOVES a cup of tea and would drink 10 or more cups a day given a chance. Knowing that fluid intake is vital for patients, I asked staff at the Care Home if Dad could get a few more cups of tea per day. They were more than happy to oblige.

So , we all know that the basic elements any body needs for survival are Water and Oxygen.

This is ALL I have been asking for !!! ... Why does it have to be so difficult to grasp?

................................................................................

The Future:

Once the Medical System accepts O2 as a viable treatment in dementia the door then opens to even more potentials such as:

O2 as a preventative intervention in early dementia.

Consideration of the use of Hyperbaric Chambers (as is currently used in Autism One Centres to detoxify Autistic Children)

Studies of the application of deep tissue release in and around the cervical spine. This can be done gently through a technique known as Myofascial Release. Neck Trauma throughout ones life can cause this tissue to tighten up and ultimately be restrictive to the blood flow to the brain. I feel that the releasing of these restrictions needs further controlled study and application immediately.

My father’s medication was reduced since we began O2 application, so hopefully we can move towards a world for these people where they are not heavily medicated.

Over a ten year period, oxygen application will cost the health care system 30 pence per day.

What are the current costs and therefore what are the potential savings to the National System?

If anyone has any thoughts or questions that you would like to share or ask, you can contact me at yahugh@journeysend.ca

I wrote this document in the format we faced as I feel that there are so many others who just don’t know where to begin to get help for their loved ones. I hope that our journey can point the way for you all.

..................................................................................

Addendum: My Father passed away gently on Oct 9^th, peacefully and surrounded by his family. He was 91.

We still had never had permission to get him back to the levels of O2 he was on before Christmas last year when he was improving steadily (3litre flow for 2 hours daily) ... he was successfully tested to go to 2 litres back in late Sept ... but we still awaited the results of that test officially almost 3 months later!! ... therefore he remained on a flow of one litre and never again really showed the improvements he had been showing previously.

In conclusion, I ask that you discuss and share this information with all who have loved ones suffering from dementia/ alzheimers and do NOT accept the resistance you will encounter from many within the NHS.

We were delighted to see Dad improve and we have had many memories with him we would not have had without the intervention of O2 and the providing him with a suitable room temperature and fluid (water) intake.

I am more than ready to assist anyone who encounters resistance, no matter what form it may take.

Best Wishes,

Hugh Gilbert

On behalf of our Dad ... Leo Howard Gilbert

Smile on my face

How not to do Social Work — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 10:20:00 GMT

There is not many times in my life where I have felt extremely happy or that I feel I have achieved something extra special. Social Worker is a battle either to keep families together or to get funding to provide the right service to the young people Read More......(read more)

The Inbetweener`s

Norrms — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 15:37:00 GMT

The

Inbetweener’s

As I sit here and write this, the waves of guilt are washing over me like a tidal flood. Sometimes things change far too fast for people like me who have dementia but this time is of my own making (I think?) Please let me take you back a few days in time and try to explain.

After coming back from my trip to Bolton, I could not see any reason whatsoever as to why I should be (Babysat) as I called it by a carer, twice a week and kicked up such a stir about it. This, as you can imagine caused some tension in the house. My argument is I am quite capable of looking after myself for a couple of hours a week whilst Elaine goes about doing what she likes. This is where the “INBETWEENER`s” comes into it. Yes I know I have Alzheimer’s, Yes I know I am a little forgetful at times, and Yes, I have accepted that I cannot go out unaccompanied as I would get knocked down within minutes., but even though I am the first to admit I am getting a little worse I really don’t think I have reached the stage where I need a complete stranger coming into my house and “Sitting” in with me.

I keep being told it’s so I can get used to having carers in with me as I will need them eventually in time, but that’s never going to happen, well, not for the moment anyway. So over the weekend we hit an IMPASS. The more I think about it, the more I feel guilty. I don’t and never will, or never have, stopped my angel doing whatever she wanted to do, but if I don’t have carers come in how does Elaine get the time to herself?

If I am being totally honest with everyone I really don’t understand the phrase “Having a break” as that would never come into my vocabulary when I talk about Elaine. I would NEVER want a break from her!! Surly I am not THAT BAD!! I don’t drink, smoke, womanise, I eat whatever`s put in front of me. I like to think I am a sociable guy and very easy to get on with, I don’t wander, I don’t get lost, how bad have i got to be before people need a break from me?

Please don’t judge me and please remember I have got Alzheimer’s and all this going through my head is something I have never experienced before. How many , just like me, and at this stage of the disease have sat there, head in hands, not knowing what to do or the best way around this? How many just like me would do anything in the world to make their loved one happy and yet feeling like their independence is being slowly and surly eaten away, kick back, at decisions being made for them. How many people like me have been awake most of the night because they think they have upset the one they love most and wouldn’t do that for the world, and yet just have because they can’t see what the problem is?

So here I sit, In-between a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s and slowly heading towards needing carer`s, but in my opinion, not quite yet, in other`s maybe so. As the frustration wells up inside of me and I want to scream we finally come to some sort of agreement. My care for two hours twice a week has been cancelled, just for the time being, as it has been deemed it’s not contributing whatsoever to my well being and especially my blood pressure, or Elaine’s either!! BUT! In place of that Elaine has been offered one or two full days a month to go wherever she wants to whilst I will hopefully have a member of the family with me.

I still don’t understand the “BREAK BIT” but it seems we have sat, talked, and worked an answer out for the time being at least, but please remember, as I always say, I am not the only person going through this, and there must be others who are just at that “In-Between stage and are as frustrated as Elaine and me. I hope this latest blog gores a little way to explaining how it feels to have this awful disease a little better for all to understand.

WHY IS NOTHING EVER SIMPLE!!!

Shhhh My darling

Norrms — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 15:39:00 GMT

SHHH

MY DARLING

Shhh my darling, go to sleep,

Into the next world you do peep,

Please don’t fight; you’ve fought so long,

Now it’s time for your last song,

The times we’ve had, our kids as well,

Far too many, for us to tell,

They were always happy, never sad,

Always good, never bad,

Now it’s time to say goodbye,

Shhh my darling please don’t cry,

We have done so much, more than most,

It’s too our life, I will toast,

Our life together, living as one,

Shhh my darling, your time has come,

So close your eyes and go to sleep,

And in the next world you will peep

End Of Life Care Video

Norrms — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 18:44:00 GMT

This my own and honest opinion regarding End Of Life Care

Please click on this link and watch, thank you xxxxxxx

Sandy Spencer http://bit.ly/vOCgQL

So Much yet to do, but its coming !!

Norrms — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 09:02:00 GMT

So much yet to do
But it’s coming!!

When a person has memory problems we need to catch them early on. Many people like GP`s and professionals ignore the early warning signs and then it takes a long time to get a diagnosis. We need an early diagnosis. If people are young, under the age of 65 even many GP`s say that they can`t possibly have dementia because of their age.

The first person who was diagnosed with Dementia in the early 1900`s was only 55yrs old. Many people with memory problems will not admit to them because of the stigma attached to dementia. People need to talk more openly to their friends and family and the public need to be more aware then this will reduce the stigma. Years ago you couldn’t mention the word cancer or HIV, now, because of media coverage ECT it is spoken about openly.

When a person is diagnosed there needs to be an information pack given to them, only with the relevant information on about help, services, cafes, Dr,s ect and not pages and pages of numbers that are totally irrelevant to them. Its devastating enough hearing what is possibly the worst news of your life, because let’s make no bones about it, at the moment it’s a terminal disease and there is no cure. If it’s not bad enough being diagnosed with dementia, it`s even worse if you aren’t given any support. It wouldn’t happen with any other terminal disease!!

We need more memory clinics, more memory cafes where people can come along and get support and realise that they are not on their own. They won’t be judged.
We need carer and dementia groups in separate rooms but in the same building at the same time. We need to ask the dementia sufferer what they want and not what you think they want. Don’t ignore them, they need a voice. Sometimes a dementia sufferer cannot speak but there lots of other ways we can communicate. We need carers, Dr`s and health professionals to take their views into account. Don’t assume things. When you have met one person with dementia you have met one person with dementia as everybody is so different!!
When they have hospital appointments let the carer into the room, a person with dementia needs someone who is familiar to them especially in an unfamiliar place.

This will lessen their fear and agitation.

The age for nursing homes, day centres and warden controlled flats need to be dropped. At the moment its 55yrs to 60yrs and over only. If you had cancer they wouldn’t say they had nowhere for you because you were under 55yrs old. At the moment they are trying to get Tesco, Asda ECT to give dementia training to their staff so they can recognise someone with dementia if they are at the till and acting differently. So that it stops an unpleasant situation arising. This should be rolled out across the public sector and the likes of the Tourist industry ect.

The more people we can get to talk about dementia and understand it the more changes there will be for the better. All this needs to happen and happen very soon, this is the political side of the illness but no less important than any other side of it. The difference is, people like myself who ACTUALLY HAVE A DIAGNOSIS are now standing up and shouting about it, we are shouting about the changes we want, and I am convinced that if we shout loud enough, change will come, please keep the faith my friends, change is happening, of that I am sure.
Best wishes, Norrms and family xxxxx

Blind Faith

Norrms — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 16:26:00 GMT

Blind Faith

I write blogs, I go to meetings and I am determined and dedicated to making a difference in my lifetime, whatever time that may be, but please please understand there is another side to this disease. The side that mocks me, laughs at me and takes away my very own life`s proof of Existence, bit by bit, little by little stealing the very memories I created and stored for what I thought would be a life time.

This is the thing that makes me call my grandchildren by different names other than their own, this is the thing that stops me from being able to button my shirt up, ties a tie or my shoelaces, or put a belt on my trousers. This is the thing that stops me from living an independent life because I am now unable to go out on my own because I have no road sense at all and wouldn’t think twice about stepping in front of a bus or a car on a busy road. This is why I have to have a sitter twice a week, ME!! Aged 54 have to have someone sit with me whilst Elaine has a break from me or does some shopping.

This is the thing that wakes me every night, screaming as if I am being tortured and keeping my “Angel” Elaine awake EVERY NIGHT, but more importantly this is the thing that the people at the meetings, conferences or leadership groups DONT SEE.

THIS IS THE REAL DEMENTIA

This is what nobody usually sees except Elaine, this is the “HIDDEN SIDE” of Dementia that must be spoken about! This is something that needs to be shown and talked about as well as everything else. We must not lose sight of even though all “SEEMS” ok we must make sure that people know what it’s really like to live with Dementia. People are famous for saying

“Well, you wouldn’t think he had Alzheimer’s would you?”

If everybody thought like that people would become complacent And think that both people with Dementia and their carers were perfectly capable of coping with this awful disease without many problems, which as we know all too well, is not the case.

I hope this has given you a snapshot of what my life is like and how hard not only Elaine, but other carers/loved ones have to work to keep things going on both sides of this disease. If everybody only saw the sociable, fun loving side of someone with Dementia and not the “Dark side” of this awful disease, then that really would be “BLIND FAITH” in thinking all was ok.

Best wishes, Norrms and family xxxxxxxxx

Social workers to be charged £700 a year to park at work

The Social Work Blog — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 11:25:07 GMT

We reported yesterday that Doncaster Council is offering employees a choice between a 4% pay cut and losing their job, according to Unison. And the cherry on the cake for council workers appears to be a plan to charge them £700 a year for parking, even Read More......(read more)

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Body

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https://www.createspace.com/3572088

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