Kate Garraway-Caring For Derek

I haven’t watched this or the previous programme re KG and Derek, but my thought was that she is using her access to MSM to highlight the effects of long Covid, and not for any kind of self promotion. I think she is both brave and strong. I would hope she would go on to highlight the shortcomings of the care at home system. Unless there’s someone there to join the dots, the whole thing falls apart, in my experience when trying to care for my mother .

I cannot for the life of me see what the detractors on here object to. Kate Garraway is presenting the situation as it is. You don't have to see the personal body functions or much at all to be offended/embarrassed by.
Her husband looks very well cared for and in tune with what is going on.
Believe me having spent 3 years helping with the rehab of my DD after she was thrown 10 feet in the air after being hit by a taxi while on a controlled crossing one would do anything to get the person they once were back. NB we were able to get finance our efforts by pursuing an Insurance claim.
Money helps because the ongoing effort is exhausting.
If you don't want to know don't watch the programme

I agree with many posters here, I don’t watch programmes that she has appeared on and had pretty much dismissed her. However having only watched bits of the documentary my estimation of her has gone up massively. I thought how honest she was of the loneliness of his illness. I couldn’t watch all of it as it was far too reminiscent for me.

From the heart GrannySomerset xxx

Unless you have experienced caring for a loved one at home I doubt if anyone could understand KG’s desire to do the best she can for husband and family using her skills and contacts. It is exhausting, frustrating and carries a huge sense of failure however hard one tries, and I wouldn’t criticise KG at all.

The woman deserves a medal and I hope she makes time to look after herself too

Derek's carer said he wished that Kate would eat, she could be in danger of sef-neglect.

There are some very unkind remarks on this thread - quite shocking - but even those posters must agree that what Kate has done is to highlight the possible devastating effects of Covid for some survivors, the subsequent problems for families and the difficulties in negotiating their way through the various agencies to try to get care for their loved ones.

BIL's friend (double vaccinated) was so ill with Covid and nearly died several times, now home with his wife and young children. Goodness knows how they are coping.

Kate highlights the struggles others in a similar position are having and I think she (and Derek) are very brave to do so.

I presume that making programmes about this is also funding the care Derek needs which is not available on the NHS.

We don't know what any of us would do in similar circumstances; everyone deals with it in the way they know best.

We would all use whatever means we had to help a loved one in such a terrible situation. Kate Garroway has media access so used that. Brave lady.

I was so sad last night. I was listening to my new favourite BBC Sounds podcaster, Jon Ronson and I listened to an interview he gave with Derek a couple of years ago. Strangely enough it was about people who believe in conspiracy theories. What an eloquent, intelligent man. As far as I’m concerned Kate is just making people remember that a lot of people are still suffering from the effects of the pandemic and wants people to remember just how little we knew about the virus two years ago. From the little I know of Derek I’m pretty sure that he would be 100% behind what she’s doing. I’m in awe of the way she continues to do such a high profile job when her personal life has been blown apart by the pandemic.

it is showing what COVID has done to a once fit and healthy man! we know there are many others doing long term caring of loved ones. but this is about COVID. It is tragic.

I feel it has all been a bit much, watching documentaries like this make leave me feeling like an intruder.
I have huge respect for the Schumacher family who have behaved with such dignity.

That should be “ several times a week “ not day !

A presenter/broadcaster making 2 documentaries in 2 years is 'milking it'? I don't think so.

I think she is making us aware of how awful Covid can be, how it impacts a family, the practicalities of caring for a very unwell person/adapting the home/lives, the emotions everyone is coping with , finances etc.

Kate, already being in the public eye, is in the position of being able to educate and inform and shine the light on the severe shortfalls in the NHS and social care system which fails carers badly and causes a great deal of stress in dreadfully difficult situations.

As a person in the media, and watching his responses to being asked if he wishes his story to be on film I feel Derek is happy to want to raise awareness of his plight, that of his family and of other sufferers...and tell his story.

Kate looks very drawn and too thin, the pressure she is under is immense and she deserves respect. She clearly loves her husband and to see the love between the children and their father is very touching.

Personally I wish them all the very best and hope for the situation to ease up for all of them in the future. It's very sad.

Having to deal with a complete change of lifestyle for herself and her family, Kate has sensibly returned to her career as all the care and attention she wants to give her DH comes at a price as will the smooth running of her and her children’s lives. By this point, she and her DH will have discussed their options to enable them to live the best life they can. I feel it unfair to lay all responsibility on Kate’s shoulders as we don’t know what input her DH has regarding all decisions.
The woman deserves a medal and I hope she makes time to look after herself too.

A man in our village is in a similar long covid situation , he is in hospital since before Christmas , his family make a two bus journey several times a day to wave at him through a window .
Should Kate have left her Derek in hospital , because others can’t find the resources to pay ?
Instead she did what she could to raise the funds
Watch the programme

I'm sure she would rather have have her husband better than her career.

LilacChaser

Awful situation, but I don't half think she's milking it.

It certainly hasn't done her career any harm

LilacChaser

Awful situation, but I don't half think she's milking it.

An unpleasant observation.

Awful situation, but I don't half think she's milking it.

Not only does it highlight his plight but also those in a similar situation

At the time it was reported that Derek had had the worst reaction than anyone to Covid in the world; there may be others who have had such severe reactions since.

The programme highlights the need for more care for those who are struggling, whether from Long Covid or so many other debilitating conditions

I've never particularly liked Kate Garraway but after watching the programme I can't fail to admire her and the kids. Why shouldn't she use her high profile to highlight her husbands plight. Not only does it highlight his plight but also those in a similar situation. Should we just be glad it's him and not us who finds himself in this awful position and just sweep it under the carpet, I don't think so.

I wasn’t going to watch , I couldn’t have filmed OH in the throes of PD , but I did watch . It was so much as I remember , caring for a loved one to the best of one’s ability
The children were an example of how to love the person behind the disease
Most people have neither the resources , financial or emotional , to cope ! But it does show how much better home care can be , long days in a noisy busy ward , or at home ?
More money needs to be spent on home care ,
I am sure he knew what was happening , his eyes are so much brighter and alive than in the last programme

Sorry, typos
This tablet is not responsive

She is in the fortunate position of having sufficient funds for his care and specialist treatment, many people in her position are not so lucky but who wouldn’t pay for it if they had the funds
She mentioned, to, the difficulty in negotiating th system to get any care for her husband so I hope that, at some point in the future, she might make a programme abou the difficulties and fight people he to get any help for their loved ones ho need it.

Perhaps the young man who is Derek's carer is paid for privately and he was also concerned about Kate as he said self-neglect is something which can happen when people are caring for sick loved ones. She certainly looked very thin and totally frazzled.
They have two children as well who will need her attention.

I.m fairly sure I read she had no access to a lot of financial matters as they have seperate accounts and she couldn't even pay their mortgage for the first months or more.
Claiming benefits may well have been an option at some point for her or do we still think people who need benefits are feckless scroungers who have never worked a day in their lives and squander their money on phones and TV's etc.?

What you see on the outside isn't always the whole story

I agree with glammanana and I am looking forward to watching the program later today.