Complete waste of money

Ah I see Flickety . Actually I did go to local pharmacist to try to get my inhaler replaced as I couldn't breathe. She outright refused as I didn't have a new prescription. Then as I gasped out that I couldn't actually draw breath said I could have it if I paid her £10 (prescriptions are free in N. ireland). I had no choice. So not much help there!! By the time I got to GP my oxygen levels were dangerously low...... So not much use going to pharmacist!! My GP knew I was in trouble as soon as I appeared. I think my blue pallor was a bit of a clue.

Re the comments about over 60's too busy enjoying life to get ill, so was I until both cancer and pneumonia came out of left field!! No we aren't sitting waiting for the Grim Reaper to call, but just be aware that he hasn't gone away. And treat illnesses with respect. We really are just that bit more vulnerable.

New way of population control. Tell people they are in the 1% expected to die in the year, and self-fulfilling prophecy on the way.
Not that I'm cynical or anything.

Need to put some sort of poster on the door like those 'no cold callers please'. I'm sure we could think up a suitable message and get them printed .

Surely this particular "Angel of Death" can just be told 'No, thank you.'

He's just been to two of my neighbours. I'm waiting for the third.

Oh and my SIL climbed Kilimanjaro for her 60th! Bit extreme for most of us, but shows we're not all sitting around in our carpet slippers waiting for the Grim Reaper to come calling.

Haven't seen this leaflet or ad yet....maybe the campaign isn't running in Scotland. I do, however get my hackles up every time I come up against the 'over 60's' line. The over 60's I know are all too busy working, going to 6 exercise classes a week (that's my 66 year old friend), running village activities and generally having too good a time to be bothered about colds. What takes the biscuit here though is the 'over 50's' club initiated by the council for 'older people'! Over 50's are now old.....!!

Really?

I heard on the radio this morning that a group is setting up to teach us pensioners about using the internet so we do not drink so much. I do not know about you lot, but I can easily go on the internet while drinking a glass of wine!

But this leaflet would have discouraged you from seeing your doctor in favour of seeing your local pharmacist.

Although in my case, as I live in a rural area, the pharmacist is based in the surgery and is far too busy dispensing prescriptions to patients waiting for them and wanting them before the bus goes, she probably hasn't time to give medical advice as well.

Haven't seen this leaflet but it probably is for England only. However, I don't think we should be so quick to take offense. The reality is that as we get older, our immune systems are not quite as effective as when we were young. Dismissing this as patronising could be dangerous.

Last year I had a 'chest cold' which developed very quickly into pneumonia. I just hung on expecting it to clear up as it used to when I was younger. By the time my daughter dragged me off to the GP, it was too late and I had to be hospitalised. Gave me a wake up call that I need to accept the body isn't quite what it used to be.

Age 60 is important because that is when prescriptions become free. A visit to the pharmacist may lead to the purchase of the same drug that the GP would prescribe and would cost the patient nothing.

Whilst my 29 year old DD in the south goes to bingo nights out with her friends! It has become quite trendy. Around here, too - I pass a long queue of young women all dressed up when I go to choir, although now they can have alcohol instead of tea, and a meal.

These adverts are so patronising, I was 59 just a few weeks ago and had a bad cold with cough, I had to go to the doc as I have asthma, but now I am 60 does it become a major thing. 'Heavens' a cold dash to the docs or the pharmacist. Why do we need advice just because we are now 60.
Where does common sense come in.
Why is the age 60 so important, we work now to 66 so why cant we be treated like anyone else, no wonder the employers are reluctant to employ older workers with so much bad publicity.
To be honest if I were a younger person and an employer I would think that these older people are a liability.

I know many older people who are fit and well and use common sense when ill, equally I know many others from 40plus who are unfit and don't look after themselves so please don't pick on the over 60s.

When I was a girl they had a group for over 60s where old ladies went to play bingo and drink tea etc, these days it would be an embarrassment to go to one of these groups, if they exist. Over 60s now go to the gym, swimming, cycling and go on backpacking holidays etc etc.

jane I have a DH like yours - he is absolutely unlivable with when he is ill, and demands the Dr for all sorts of minor ailments.

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

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

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 ].

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.

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.

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!

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!

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.

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.