I've started a new thread in order to avoid hijacking BBB's thread.
Anyway, I'll try to tell the story as fully as I possiblly can.
A couple of years ago my friends Mum (early 70's) who has always been the most houseproud of women, never had a hair out of place, full make-up etc etc.
Anyway she started acting differently, wouldn't eat because it might make her teeth dirty, wouldn't drink because she might wet herself, lay in bed all day and all manner of things.
Her husband has got COPD and needs help and my friend has taken on the carers role for her dad, believing that her mum would be fine.
Over the last 2 years or so Mum has been in and out of the local Mental Hospital and has spend long, long periods at a time in there. After loads of electronic treatments and other therapies, they get her eating, drinking, washing herself, getting dressed and generally back to normal, so the doctors say she is basically ok and she is then sent back home.
Within a day or two she is back to staying in bed, refusing to wash, eat, drink and anything else. She is nasty with a capital 'N' and blames my friend and her brother for everything.
So in the end the dad can't cope with her and the doctors are called and Mum is admitted to the Mental Hospital once again and there the cycle starts over and over again.
After loads and loads of meetings with the doctors my friend has been told her mum has 'Vascular Depression'. The upshot of it is that she cannot stay in the Hospital all the time and cannot go home because she goes back to staying in bed etc once she gets there.
It was suggested that she goes into a home where she will be looked after and encouraged to do things for herself and eat and drink.
My friend was told that as its 'Vascular Depression' that they would have to pay for the home themsves, if it was 'Vascular Dementia' then the home would be paid for (I think I've got that right).
So the search was on to find exactly the right home, that is near to them and would treat mum with the proper care that is needed. They actually found one locally at a rate of £560 per week.
The mum and dad own their own home and had £60k savings in the bank. In the last few weeks the dad has split most of the money between my friend, and her brother to be given to the grandchildren when dad and mum pass away.
Now I've been doing some reading and believe I am right in thinking that 'Vascular Depression' will eventually become 'Vascular Dementia', but, what I can't understand is how my friend and her family are being made to fork out the money for the mum to be in a home, it seems criminal to me, especially as the mum just cannot go home and lead a 'normal' life.
Anyway, I'll try to tell the story as fully as I possiblly can.
A couple of years ago my friends Mum (early 70's) who has always been the most houseproud of women, never had a hair out of place, full make-up etc etc.
Anyway she started acting differently, wouldn't eat because it might make her teeth dirty, wouldn't drink because she might wet herself, lay in bed all day and all manner of things.
Her husband has got COPD and needs help and my friend has taken on the carers role for her dad, believing that her mum would be fine.
Over the last 2 years or so Mum has been in and out of the local Mental Hospital and has spend long, long periods at a time in there. After loads of electronic treatments and other therapies, they get her eating, drinking, washing herself, getting dressed and generally back to normal, so the doctors say she is basically ok and she is then sent back home.
Within a day or two she is back to staying in bed, refusing to wash, eat, drink and anything else. She is nasty with a capital 'N' and blames my friend and her brother for everything.
So in the end the dad can't cope with her and the doctors are called and Mum is admitted to the Mental Hospital once again and there the cycle starts over and over again.
After loads and loads of meetings with the doctors my friend has been told her mum has 'Vascular Depression'. The upshot of it is that she cannot stay in the Hospital all the time and cannot go home because she goes back to staying in bed etc once she gets there.
It was suggested that she goes into a home where she will be looked after and encouraged to do things for herself and eat and drink.
My friend was told that as its 'Vascular Depression' that they would have to pay for the home themsves, if it was 'Vascular Dementia' then the home would be paid for (I think I've got that right).
So the search was on to find exactly the right home, that is near to them and would treat mum with the proper care that is needed. They actually found one locally at a rate of £560 per week.
The mum and dad own their own home and had £60k savings in the bank. In the last few weeks the dad has split most of the money between my friend, and her brother to be given to the grandchildren when dad and mum pass away.
Now I've been doing some reading and believe I am right in thinking that 'Vascular Depression' will eventually become 'Vascular Dementia', but, what I can't understand is how my friend and her family are being made to fork out the money for the mum to be in a home, it seems criminal to me, especially as the mum just cannot go home and lead a 'normal' life.
Comment