Finally managed to get my mum to the GP, because she’s one of the elderly people who doesn’t like to be a bother. In my opinion she’s showing signs of dementia, she can’t use appliances anymore, sometimes thinks it’s 20 years ago, can’t look after herself etc, can’t get her to eat etc! When you google dementia, the first thing you read is “see the doctor ASAP”! I wanted her to have a check up, but also as her carer, I thought if she had a diagnosis then I might be able to access support and advice too, because quite frankly I am at breaking point! Waited a week to see the GP she felt comfortable seeing, only to come up against a brick wall. I worked in a medical practice for nearly 25 years and never witnesssed ageism, in fact I defended NHS against the claims! Every time I tried to explain what was happening with my mum, we just kept getting the reply “it’s normal in somebody approaching 90”! We were completely stonewalled! Even my mum said afterwards what a waste of time it had been. Basically we left the surgery with a prescription with Fortisip added and that was it! I thought there was supposed to be support for patients and carers coping with dementia and Alzheimer’s? I’ve been looking into buying aids etc to help her, which if she had a diagnosis I could get VAT free, but because her GP couldn’t be bothered, I have to pay full price! So basically we went to her GP for help and support and came away with the words “it’s normal for somebody approaching 90”! No diagnosis, no emotional support, nothing!! The laughable thing is my mum gets constant phone calls to get her in for QOF targets, never once is she asked if she’s mobile or whether she can get there! She can only get there if we take her, but they go ahead and book her in, distressing her, then that in turn makes her have what I call a ‘dementia’ episode! This surgery is just adding to the problem! Bottom line is they don’t want to know because she’s elderly, as her carer, instead of of helping me to help her, they don’t care! Also, when we were leaving, as we passed receptionist we said thank you and they actually screwed their face up! In fact on the whole, the receptionists are quite unapproachable, sometimes rude!
Original Comment Report...