Complete waste of money

A bit more window dressing.

They Tweeted this a week ago. I responded by telling them to stop patronising. Didn't get a reply.

I also told them that if I was feeling 'under the weather' they could prescribe a week in the sun. They didn't reply to that either.

This leaflet made me cross as well. If you don't know when you are poorly enough to need to see a doctor by the time you are 60, when will you?

And how much did it cost?

There's an advert on the radio which tells people to watch out for old people and make sure that they get proper medical advice if they're feeling under the weather.

I do think there are a lot of confusing messages going around. On the one hand they're telling people not to bother the doctor with coughs and colds and on the other they're putting out these sorts of adverts about older people.

I don't understand anyone going to the doctors with just a cold but if accompanied by other symptoms - bad cough, severe ear ache, sore throat, etc.- surely it would be better to get checked out rather than to risk relatively treatable symptoms becoming more serious?

It is also the assumption that if you are over 60 you need constantly hand-holding and reassurance from your carer.

Of course if people are disabled, particularly if they are having mind or memory problems, they may well look to others for help and advice, but disability stretches across all ages, not just old age. My father lived to be 92 and was completely capable of managing and running his own live to within weeks of his death. He was not exceptional. I know and have met a lot of extremely elderly people who are more than capable of managing their own lives. The whole leaflet was patronising and offensive.

And there are many people well below 60 who are not capable of running their own lives. Do they think we are are all superwomen until out 60th birthday, then overnight we can't even make up our own minds whether we have a bit of a sniffle or double pneumonia?

OMG I agree, how many over 60s go to A and E with a cold? This is so ridiculous.

...and such a waste of money at a time when the NHS is stretched for cash to look after us properly if we are ill enough to be admitted to hospital.

Why do the powers that be think we suddenly decline into stupidity? Just have to agree with the general sentiments expressed here - it makes me very cross!

And why target over 60s? I saw this ad on the back of a huge bus recently- I wondered is it ok to go to A and E if you are under 60 and feeling " under the weather" ? I think whoever is in charge of this ad campaign should be hauled over the coals.

We haven't had a leaflet yet. Does it say over 60? Do they realise when the retirement age is now?

It does seem to be that those in Ivory towers wot think up these leaflets and ads lump all over 60s into the same 'old, slightly senile and decrepit' box.

Yes this isn't just a leaflet - I have seen huge billboards and bus ads in this part of London. It says " Over 60 and feeling under the weather?" And a picture of an umbrella and then some tosh about going to a pharmacist and not A and E.

I haven't seen any of the leaflets or the posters, but I do think that it is actually the elderly who are more likely to have some underlying complication if they are feeling under the weather, so it is just these people who perhaps should be seeing the GP to check them over.

Has anyone had a visit from the person my 78 year old friend calls 'The Angel of Death'. Her job is to talk to people, aged over 75, about their death. I don't think she acts upon your decision there and then but it would make one quite nervous! It might just be a local thing, I'll ask what happened on her visitation.

Pharmacists are actually quite good at giving advice on whether to go to a doctor, if you ask them. They don't just flog you a pack of paracetamol.
It seems unlikely, tho, that A&E depts are having problems with over-60's coming in feeling under the weather.

I haven't seen the leaflet or the ad. They sound intensely irritating.

However, we Gransnetters are possibly unrepresentative of the over 60 population as a whole, and there may be a properly researched basis for the campaign which would justify the expense.

Glad I'm still too young to qualify for a visit from the Angal of Death!

Kittylester if my 83 year old friend was visited by the 'Angel of Death' you mention she would tell her to Eff Off (excuse the language) because she is too busy going to Keep Fit, WI, U3A, and providing a taxi service for her grandchildren, as well as doing the VAT for her 3 sons!

Just heard a discussion on the radio about GP's appointment systems & it was stated that people can have a lot of difficulty getting through to the surgery to make an appointment, so then they go to A&E.
If that's true, it surely wouldn't be only the over-60's who are clogging up A&E.

I feel very let down by DBH. He has had man 'flu' for the past 5 days - and actually phoned the Dr's this morning to try to make an appointment to see them. I tried to prevent him, but he kept on saying that he ached all over so therefore there was something else wrong, not just a cold. I told him that I always ache when I have a cold but he always ignores my aches! That it's not unusual. So he phoned and as I had told him, wasn't promised a visit by a panicky Dr complete with a quick cure-all that would work in 10 minutes flat.

The thing is, he rarely catches colds and hasn't a clue how to cope when he does. He also has a short memory. (and is vile when ill, but that's another story)

So I suspect all those people calling up and wasting time are those who fear they are at death's door, because they simply aren't used to feeling that rough. Also, people do die from 'flu', of all ages.

There was an article on the radio the other week that said man flu is actually real. Women don't feel as bad when they have a virus because their hormones help them feel better. Although not sure what happens when our hormones have gone [mine went a long time ago ].

We feel just as grotty as the men but don't make such a fuss!

I agree, whitewave And suspect that the radio item was written by a man!