Ship them to Thailand

"The total cost of care for people with dementia in the UK is currently at around £35 billion. This is divided between the NHS, the Government Social Care budget, and unpaid care (provided by families). But with the younger generation having to fork out £8.3 billion of their own money a year, it has led to some outside-the-box thinking when it comes to caring for loved ones."

"The government and private investors are very active in cultivating this as part of their economic development. With the number of people with dementia set to increase, and the cost of looking after them also getting higher..."

"One option is to care for family members at home, but British society hasn’t warmed to the idea of living with grandparents like in other countries. Another potential option is sending them abroad for better and cheaper care. It might seem cruel sending a dementia patient almost 15,000 kilometers away… until you dig a little deeper."

"Dr. Caleb Johnston, senior lecturer in human geography at Newcastle University, told the Guardian that Thailand already has a long history of medical tourism, and it’s now setting itself up as an international hub for dementia care." 

"`The government and private investors are very active in cultivating this as part of their economic development. With the number of people with dementia set to increase, and the cost of looking after them also getting higher, it is likely to be an option that more and more people consider,` he said."

"Eight such care homes are located in the northern part of Thailand in Chiang Mai. Managed by a mixture of Swiss, British, and Thai experts and staff, all have the backing and support of the Thai government. For 25 percent cheaper than private care in the UK, these centers boast one-to-one 24-hour care and are all set in magnificent grounds resembling 4- or 5-star hotels."

https://www.rt.com/op-ed/478238-dementia-uk-care-thailand/

Maybe human relations are not broken as easily as the government and investors would like to think:

The investment opportunities provided by the elderly

"The trial of a medical doctor in the Netherlands this week over the euthanasia of a 74-year-old woman in 2016 is notable for many reasons, but perhaps most of all by the commitment by the prosecution that even if the doctor responsible is found guilty, she will face no prison time."

"The facts of the case are simple enough. The dead woman had dementia. Before she developed dementia, she told family, friends and medics that it would be her wish to die before the dementia ravaged her mind completely. Unknown to the woman, and without consulting her, her family and medics came to the decision that the dementia had advanced to a stage where her prior wishes should be triggered."

"Unbeknownst to her, a sedative was added to the woman`s morning coffee. The intent was to render her senseless, and then to administer a fatal drug. A quiet death, and one she would not even be aware of."

"Unfortunately, the sedative did not work correctly. The woman came to her senses and realised that her doctor was trying to kill her. She asked her family to stop the doctor. Her family did not stop the doctor."

https://gript.ie/when-your-mother-tells-you-that-she-doesnt-want-to-die/

==========================

The case was discussed on UK Column News:

Brian Gerrish began by saying: "We would like to remind people that it was David Cameron, a few years ago, who pointed out that millions of people were expected to have dementia in the UK. There was no discussion as to where the dementia had come from but millions of people - I think two million was actually the figure that David Cameron mentioned - and the government needed to deal with it."

"Well this is one of the little headlines again we were sent. `David Cameron joins Alzheimer`s Research UK as our President to continue a mission he instigated through the Prime Minister`s Dementia Challenge`. Now that`s a report from January 2017."

"Now this was a ... recent headline. `David Cameron`s venture capital fund invests [millions] in search for first dementia drugs`. So more business for the big pharmaceuticals Mike."

Mike Robinson asks: "Is that drugs to create dementia?"

"Well .... they get profit both ways because we know that elderly people are being given sedatives in residential and care homes which produce dementia-like symptoms where, presumably, the drug companies can then give them more drugs for trying to cure the symptoms they created in the first place."

"But it says `The Dementia Discovery Fund is the world`s largest investment fund focused on a single medical research area. Its backers, who have invested £290 million, include Bill Gates, the UK Government and seven top pharmaceutical firms, including GSK and Pfizer`."

"So there you are, rest assured that David Cameron has your best interests at heart and he`ll be thinking of you as you`re lying on your bed in the care home."

=======================

"But this was an interesting one, also sent through to us. So it`s Sell2Wales. This is the official website where contract details are notified and we`ve got here ... `computerised cognitive behaviour therapy` - software is what they`re talking about and some small print here. We`ll see what we can do..."

"It says: `The Scottish Government has recognised changes. This has to do with a massive increase in people with depression, stress and anxiety coming forward in Scotland and the number of individuals prescribed antidepressants which has doubled in five years with a demand in specialist face-to-face psychological therapy doubling in the past ten years`."

"The Scottish Government has recognised these challenges through its 2020 vision which states the need to underpin service redesign with the use of digital health while enabling patients to self-manage their own conditions."

"Do you like the sound of this Mike?"

"In 2017/18, full national roll-out of the Computerised cognitive behavioural therapy (cCBT) service across all 14 territorial health boards was achieved offering a national solution to the increasing demand of common mental health problems such as low-mood, depression and anxiety."

"So is there a coincidence between that and the opioid problem in Scotland?"

"Well I think there`s some questions to be asked. But the person who sent this to me said `I find this advert very very creepy `and I certainly agree with them on that. But we know that elderly people are being induced into dementia-like symptoms and we know that many people are suffering depression or anxiety or stress illnesses as a result of the society that the government is creating around them. So Artificial Intelligence is going to sort it out. Maybe."

"Well possibly not."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WIjySKt01Y　

Digital cognitive behavioural therapy which has been developing in various countries has a little offering from Canada explaining what it is.

Lord Bichard expects elderly to do community work for their pensions

"Older people should lose their pensions if they refuse to do community work to stop them being a `negative burden on society`, a former senior Whitehall official has suggested." 

"Lord Bichard, an ex-chief of the Benefits Agency, said the elderly should get rewards and fines to make sure they are taking a more active part in the world."

"The crossbench peer, who also chaired an inquiry into the murder of two Soham school girls, suggested the same tough attitude towards benefit scroungers should be taken with older people..."

"Dot Gibson, general secretary of the National Pensioners Convention, said: `This is absolutely outrageous. Those who have paid their national insurance contributions for 30 or more years are entitled to receive their state pension and there should be no attempt to put further barriers in their way`."

"`We already have one of the lowest state pensions in Europe and one in five older people in Britain live below the poverty line`."  
"Dr Ros Altmann, director-general of Saga, said the idea was `very strange indeed`."

"`Those who have retired have already made huge contributions to our society and are already the largest group of charity and community volunteers,` she said. `The Saga website has been buzzing all day with angry messages of incredulity`."

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9630862/Elderly-should-do-community-work-or-lose-pension-peer-says.html?fbclid=IwAR0GOyEPbjir1rBg997M0fCUHx8unrEP5p8LCm1mWHf_XPGpd4Gla__RnY4

Thousands put to death in Canada

"Canadian doctors and nurse practitioners have reported that they have killed almost 4,000 (3,714) patients since euthanasia was legalized in Quebec in December 2015 — after which it was legalized throughout the country by supreme-court fiat — an act of judicial hubris quickly formalized by Parliament."

"Nearly 2,000 were killed in 2017, not including a few territories that did not report figures and assuming all euthanasia deaths were reported. All but one of these deaths resulted from a lethal jab — homicide — at the patients’ request. From the `Third Interim Report on Medical Assistance in Dying in Canada.`"

https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/canada-euthanasia-killings-increase-steadily/

The last photograph

The above photograph shows Mrs E Kilbride on her last day of freedom at the Eaglesham wind farm where she was enjoying a trip away from the care home she hated. Two days later it was alleged by social workers that the GP who worked for the care home had judged Mrs Kilbride to lack capacity to make her own decisions. In their wisdom the professionals decided on Mrs Kilbride`s behalf not to take her for her hospital appointment and in five weeks she was dead. Those five weeks must have been the most wretched of Mrs Kilbride`s life because she was not allowed to see her visitor, got no more fresh air and exercise, and had no further contact with the outside world.

In the meantime all of her wordly goods were taken away from her leaving Mrs Kilbride with not a single memory of her former life. Most people would judge such treatment of a vulnerable elderly person as inhumane and cruel. Not the carers involved with Mrs Kilbride who claimed that they worked in Mrs Kilbride`s best interests.

Community care - adult care blog

This is a true story which is a sign of the times. It reveals how the notion of `best interests` can be abused by professionals to justify the utmost cruelty and turn reality on its head. Actually it is about power and the abuse of power and an agenda that at the moment only a few can see. This is a wake up call.

To begin the story click HERE
 

Plugging the gap in joined up services

From UK Column News:

Highlighting the article, `Edinburgh Families told to `plug the gap` in care for the elderly` Mike Robinson says: "Do Edinburgh families have the resources to plug the gap in care for the elderly?"

David Scott: "They`re jolly well going to have to find the resources because they`re not going to be given a choice. This is a fascinating little article. The Edinburgh Integration Joint Board. (EIJB), now this is a combination of council and NHS running social and health care as an integrated whole. It`s set to undergo... `a major culture change`. Where`ve we heard that one before? It will see the onus placed on patients to look after themselves or receive help from relatives. So this is the equivalent of `pick up thy bed and walk` but there`s no miracle involved. It`s just leave, you`re costing us money."

"Another wonderful quote: `Health chiefs are now set to have a ... `big conversation with the public about what might be deemed a reasonable contribution from individuals, their relatives, neighbours, local communities to provide elements of social care themselves. The board has launched an action plan to get to grips with the service. The new approach will include a shift towards prevention and early intervention. So `I`m very sorry you`re fat, so we`re going to have to do something about that because you`ll cost us money in the future`, or `you`re smoking`, or `you`re whatever`. Whatever you`re doing at that point the state does not like, `we`re going to prevent that to reduce dependency on acute services and crisis support`."

"Ricky Henderson chairman for the IEJB said ... Supporting people to live as independently as possible in their own homes and communities means that we will have to think carefully about how our invaluable health and social services are provided. `Invaluable` meaning `unaffordable`, is what we`re looking at there."

"Now this little diagram next, this is meant to be improvement. A couple of things struck me about this. It`s a really bizarre diagram because the lines are going in every direction and it`s not at all clear who`s responsible for who, which I think is part of the point. Some of these symbols read `some hospital based services` so it`s not even clear which services are included in this system or not. But the bit I particularly liked is right up at the top. The £s come from the NHS and the local authority into the joint board and coming the other way is `directions`. So we pay them, and they tell us how to operate. Get that. That is a very bizarre route to be following. Normally the golden rule is `he who has the gold makes the rules.` No, this is reversed now."

Mike Robinson: "Now you have to pay someone else to make the rules on their behalf? "

"Well, on someone`s behalf. It`s not clear whose behalf. ... It`s a part of the system that`s becoming ever more opaque, ever more complex, and just before we leave that... `The vision of this organisation. People and oganisations, working together for a caring, healthier and safer Edinburgh. Now that [is] presumably a grammatical mistake. It should be `more caring`. Because that implies there`s no care in Edinburgh at the moment which you might have applied if you`d been in Glasgow... They introduce `safer`. Does that mean police are going to come into this as well? ..."

[Continues 40.00 minutes into the programme]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckDBmIj9sqA

As for Glasgow:

Appeal on behalf of Peter Hofschroer, campaigner against abuse of elderly

An urgent appeal has been made on behalf of historian and author, Peter Hofschroer, to attend and witness events at the Royal Courts of Justice in London on Wednesday 14 June 2017 in order to see that justice is done. The courtroom and time is still to be confirmed here https://www.justice.gov.uk/courts/court-lists/list-cause-rcj#COA-Criminal

"Friends and supporters of the acclaimed author and historian and his mother, Barbara (aka Grandma B), are asked to attend his appeal against extradition to Austria. He has been unlawfully sectioned under mental health legislation in Austria by a single judge who has never met him, and WITHOUT A MEDICAL EXAMINATION. They want to incarcerate him forever in a mental institution and force him to take psychiatric drugs because he has been speaking out publicly about public corruption in York and North Yorkshire (places that he refers to as `Savile Country`)..."

"It is no surprise that North Yorkshire Police and the others have been desperate to silence him (at huge cost to the public purse)."

http://www.grandmabarbara.co.uk/

…"So what is going on here and who is involved? The main abuser is employed by local social services. He, his wife and daughter have provided support services to the local police. They all know who the isolated old people in their area with assets are. It would seem they are systematically targeting defenceless old people and seizing control of their assets before bundling them off into a council home, then selling their assets. The cash then gets laundered through a dodgy private care company as `care fees` and the police officers, social workers, council officials and local politicians involved then pocket the money. The perfect crime, as who is going to listen to a confused, old lady in a home, whose contact with the outside world they are controlling? This is rampant corruption and serious, organised crime. Nobody in authority in North Yorkshire will respond to correspondence and deal with this case..."

https://grandmabarbara.wordpress.com/

The mechanics of modern murder

 

The following hyperlink takes you to a UK Column production discussing the care of the elderly and the Liverpool Care Pathway which involves starving and dehydrating patients to death.

https://soundcloud.com/ukcolumn/dispatches-from-the-front-the-mechanics-of-modern-murder#t=0:00

Teaching hospital fails to comply with end-of-life court ruling

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS FOUNDATION TRUST

"Teaching trust failing to comply with end of life court ruling
27 JANUARY, 2017 BY SHAUN LINTERN"

"Cambridge University Hospitals Foundation Trust issued with requirement notices by the CQC."

"Half of `do not attempt resuscitation` orders seen by inspectors were incorrectly completed by staff."

"Court of Appeal ruling in 2014 created a new legal right for patients to be consulted over DNAR decisions."

"One of the country’s largest teaching trusts is failing to comply with a judgement following a court case it lost in 2014, which set a precedent for the rights for patients receiving end of life care."

"The Care Quality Commission has issued Cambridge University Hospitals Foundation Trust with two requirement notices after inspectors last year found half of the `do not attempt resuscitation` forms they examined were not completed correctly."

Addenbrooke's

"The trust lost a Court of Appeal case in 2014.
They also found a lack of evidence that staff were discussing end of life care with patients – an issue that formed the basis for legal action against the trust in 2014 by the family of Janet Tracey."

"In 2014, the family took their case against CUH to the Court of Appeal, which ruled it was a breach of her human rights for a doctor to put DNAR form in place without speaking to Ms Tracey first. This set a legal precedent for patients to be consulted about decisions involving CPR."

"During its inspections last September the CQC also found a lack of evidence that patients’ mental capacity was being properly assessed before making end of life care decisions."

"The CQC rated the trust as good overall and it came out of special measures last week."

"In the report for the trust’s Addenbrooke’s Hospital, the CQC said 10 of the 20 DNAR forms it saw were completed incorrectly."

"It said: `These included lack of mental capacity assessments for those patients deemed to lack capacity, lack of information regarding the discussions held with patients and/or their families and not discussing the DNACPR with the patient, even though it stated they had capacity`."

"The CQC said the trust’s DNAR policy cited the Tracey judgement. `This meant the trust’s DNACPR policy and the Tracey legislation was not being adhered to. The legal process of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 was also not being followed,` the report said."

"The requirement notices need the trust to ensure robust monitoring of end of life care through local audit; and to make sure in complies with the Mental Capacity Act 2005."

"The CQC rated the trust’s end of life care as good overall, with the standard of caring rated outstanding and it said staff went the extra mile to fulfil patient wishes."

"Ms Tracey’s daughter, Kate Masters, said: `Addenbrooke’s hospital should be acutely aware of the implications of not following their own DNACPR policy, national guidance and legislation, more than any other hospital."

"`It feels like a slight on my mum’s memory. They have never apologised to my dad or the wider family and this CQC finding indicates to me that they appear to be continuing with the stance they held throughout the court case that they did nothing wrong. In my opinion, Addenbrooke’s has learned nothing`."

"She added that the DNAR form currently used by the trust formed the basis of a new national form due to be rolled out nationally. Concerns have been raised that the design of the new form could lead to families being excluded from end of life care decisions."

"A CUH spokeswoman said the trust took the issue seriously and claimed to have improved the way families were involved."

"She said the trust no longer used standalone forms but instead used a `comprehensive` electronic record for all treatments."

"She added: `The CQC have identified areas for further improvement with our electronic DNACPR forms and we are continuing to work on this. In our most recent audit into resuscitation decisions, 99 per cent of the electronic forms had been fully discussed with patients or their carers."

"`In addition, since our inspection we have developed an end of life care strategy which builds on the very important relationship with our patients and their families at this time`."

https://www.facebook.com/groups/413517265364333/permalink/1243720679010650/

Biggest annual rise in deaths for almost fifty years

"England and Wales has suffered the biggest annual rise in deaths for almost fifty years, according to new figures which last night prompted warnings of an urgent crisis in care of the elderly."

"Health experts last night called for an urgent investigation after statistics revealed a five per cent increase in mortality rates in just one year."

"Advisors to Public Health England (PHE) warned of a `strong and flashing` warning light, and said trends over the last four years suggest the rise in deaths may now be the highest since World War Two."

T"hey said the elderly were now bearing the brunt of a growing crisis in the NHS and cuts to social care, with women suffering the most."

"The preliminary data from the Office of National Statistics shows that in just one year, there were 5.4 per cent more deaths in England – equating to almost 27,000 extra deaths."

"The year-on-year rise, to a total of 528,340 deaths, is the highest since 1968. There were more deaths last year than any year since 2003. Figures show that numbers of deaths have fallen steadily since the 70s, but that trend began to reverse in 2011..."

"Professor Danny Dorling, from Oxford University, an advisor to PHE on older age life expectancy, said: `When we look at 2015, we are not just looking at one bad year. We have seen excessive mortality - especially among women - since 2012. I suspect the largest factor here is cuts to social services - to meals on wheels, to visits to the elderly`..."

"Health officials said some of the spike in deaths last year might be explained by the failure of the flu vaccine last winter, which worked in just one in three cases."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/12158930/Biggest-annual-rise-in-deaths-for-almost-fifty-years-prompts-warnings-of-crisis-in-elderly-care.html

There is no acknowledgement of the Liverpool Care Pathway or its equivalent still being practiced in hospitals and now in care homes too.

You`d think health officials would have mentioned it - they certainly know about it - rather than making excuses.