Look After Yourself. Personal View

[Prada47]

I think what is going on is a Logistics Nightmare , and a Inter Generational Failure

It is obvious that what we all assumed to be the computer age is not exactly what it is cracked up to be !! Look how often letters don't come from the NHS when they are supposed to, Admin Error, we are told. When you are doing Admin for millions it's easy to get it wrong.

Personally I think the News Media should have been shutdown when this started. The Enquiry is for After not Daily on the BBC, ITV Sky etc.

Sorry I don't want to Share a Families Grief on Breakfast TV because the BBC have nothing to Report, all those World Correspondents with Nothing to Do !!

I think at the end of the Day we all need to look after each other, we can't expect much help from the Authorities they don't know anymore than we do !!

It's pretty straightforward Stay at Home if you don't want the Virus.

From someone who has had an MI, CABG, Stents, Currently has Moderate to Severe Heart Failure who doesn't have a letter because the Govt don't class Heart Failure as a particular Serious Risk !!

Neither Do I but I know a lot of People who do !!

So the Message is Take Control to Protect Yourself no one else is going to !!

Quite honestly I don't think they the Authorities really give a S**t how many people with Heart Disease die after all the Care System was already becoming overwhelmed Full up of Old People.

Remember when a " Care Home " was an " Old Peoples Home " or the Old peoples Home was a Chair in the Parlour for Grandma or Grandad at the end of the Day are we all to blame thinking we could hand over our old people to the Council for "Social Care "

Stay Well Stay Safe

[Maisie2014]

Oh dear Prada. Is that how you feel today? I must admit the media has a lot to answer for. I always watch Breakfast on BBC but the last two days I’ve turned it off and watched Frasier on channel 4. I’m sure there must be other news but their depressing stuff gets on my nerves.

[Prada47 in reply to Maisie2014]

Hi Maisie

Yes it probably sums up my frustration with the Media, it even makes me feel I want to go back to BREXIT as the main news topic. I really think we are being conned !!

I do wonder how many people died in Care Homes during a Flu Epidemic it would be interesting to compare.

Oh Labour are now calling for a Chief Care Officer to sit alongside the Chief Nursing Office. See how it begins !!!

Stay Well

Stay Safe

[Sunnie2day]

Although not unexpected, I am deeply disturbed about the number of care home deaths during this pandemic - I suspect your post this morning is at least in part a reaction to the news this morning thousands of our elderly are dying in care homes of direct and indirect causes related to SARS-CoV-2.

As for the ghoulish 'How did it make you feel when your (insert dead loved one here) died and you couldn't be there to say good-bye? And do you think you'll be seeking recompense for your horrific loss...?' interviews barely hours after the loss in many cases, I've never liked those and I especially think them gratuitous now. I'm no fan of televised 'news' today any road but those interviews are bar none the worst, worse even than the fear-mongering and gotcha journalism pieces.

I could go on but your post really sums up my frustration, deep disappointment, and growing concern at the ineptitude being shown across nearly all boards as regards this pandemic. too right - if someone doesn't want the virus, they should take all precautions they can against contracting it.

[84green in reply to Sunnie2day]

Hi Sunnie

I agree that the national media is appalling at this time - obsessed with creating drama and headlines, oblivious to the stress this causes the public. It is in my opinion the ultimate example of 24 hour rolling news media which patches on to a topic 24/7, then moves on to the next story. The constant striving to find new intrusive angles of grief.

Added to this, the journalists involved are political journalist so the public debate of a topic of the greatest national health interest is being framed by people seeking to score political points rather than inform or educate a concerned public.

On care homes, I think that there is a real scandal to be revealed when this is over. My mother in law died in one last week (89 and sadly suffering from Alzheimer’s for many years). A GP wouldn’t visit the home and Coronavirus does not appear on the certificate. But I know other residents are also very ill and that one young staff member has recently died.

Sadly, it’s a sector very often outsourced and run privately for profit - which isn’t an explicit criticism as I’m sure many are well run. However, this means it is often staffed by people who aren’t well paid or trained. They invariably do a wonderful job and are well motivated despite being under resourced (both in terms of training and physical protection). This crisis is emphasising the flaws in this approach.

My own father suffers from dementia and a couple of years ago we looked at possible care homes for him. Suffice to say, we didn’t put him in one. I’ve never regretted that decision and never more so than now.

[Sunnie2day in reply to 84green]

Caring for a dementia patient at home is so difficult, it takes such dedication - well done you and your family for keeping your dad at home for as long as possible.

My Grans both stayed at home with us - but neither had dementia, they were both 'sharp as tacks' to the very end. Both passed in their sleep after a full day of activity (albeit slower than they liked, they hated slowing down as they reached their 90s).

[84green in reply to Sunnie2day]

Thanks Sunnie

He had a major stroke five years ago which he wasn’t expected to survive. He went downhill when my mum passed but seems ok at the moment. His mind still wanders but he can manages - he has a great GP. He has a number of underlying conditions and I’m just grateful he can isolate at home with support rather than be in a care home right now.

I just rewatched the episode of the West Wing entitled “The Long Goodbye” - a very poignant dramatisation of an awful disease.

Sound like your Grans both led full lives with great family support.

[Sunnie2day in reply to 84green]

LOL - my Grans ruled the family, without them none of us would have had the full lives we've done so far. Thanks to those wonderful ladies I have a huge respect for elder wisdom and I feel so privileged to have had them in my life for as long as I did. My great-Gran died aged 102 (or 103, she didn't have a birth certificate) just after my first was born in 1977, and my Gran passed aged 99 just after my son was born in 1982.

May your dad continue on at home as well as he is now for many years to come

[84green in reply to Sunnie2day]

Thanks. He’s certainly defied the odds so far!