Talking Point

www.alzheimers.org.uk/info/20013/talking_point_-_our_online_forum

I think this is it!!

The original post was mine, I think, and I posted the above in a car park so sorry it was brief.

I am a bit evangelical about the Alzheimer's Society - had anyone noticed? I'm glad you are finding support on the Forum.

I can't talk about the courses in Scotland but in England (and I assume Wales and Ireland?) we have nothing but praise from attendees. I think the point is that you don't know what you don't know until someone tells you about it - the Council Tax exemption for someone who is suffering from severe mental impairment is a good example.

And our courses are six weeks long, with an activity group (run by a dementia support worker and volunteers) running along side and they NEVER start that early!!

Thank you Kitty - the forum is great. I have joined the section for people caring for a spouse or partner, so most of the posters are in much the same situation as I am, i.e. 24/7 at home carers. They have loads of helpful hints and tips and fully understand the pressures we are under.

The course I am referring to is run by the local Carers Centre and is available for anyone caring for a relative or friend with a disability, so there are participants from across the spectrum from parents of disabled children to those caring for older relatives, some of whom have dementia. I attended some sessions last year and found that I was the only person there who had 24/7 responsibilities, (the others had relatives in full time care, home carers or children at school), which allowed the organisers to believe/claim that there was no demand for simultaneous care for the caree. Now that they have seen the light and put the start time back to 10.30 I will continue to lobby for alternative care or activities for the caree.

The local Alzheimer's group has dozens of groups from Football reminiscence, and walking to fine dining and cinema. Most of these are for both to attend together, some support/chat groups are for carers only, with no provision for the caree. The main problem for us is that the group covers 3 Counties (mainly rural) and a small city. Most groups meet in their city centre premises, which they point out have no parking anywhere nearby. DH cannot walk very far and cannot/will not go on a bus so these facilities are unreachable for us.

The Talking Point Forum shows many examples of good practice throughout the UK and many examples where, with a bit of foresight, groups could be more accessible but are not. I have been strongly urged by both the Carers Centre and the Alzheimer Group to sign up for sessions in order to boost their numbers, as their funding is dependent on the number of attendees on the list rather than the number who actually attend.

Talking Point was my lifeline when I needed it.
I too recommend it to anyone I think will benifit.