Interview 15- Carers of people with dementia

Age at interview: 59

Age at diagnosis: 82

Brief Outline:

Her mother had been an independent widowed woman. They had hoped when they were able to move her nearby that this arrangement would be adequate for several years but before long she had to go into residential care.

Background:

Carer is married with her own family (2 children). She shared decision making with her brother and sister for her widowed mother who was diagnosed in 1998 / 1999.

Further information about this participant can be found on socialcaretalk.org - Carers of People with Dementia

They were frustrated when their GP did not listen to their concerns about a family member with Alzheimer's.

I think GPs should be more enlightened than some of them are, I think they should be, as I say, give family's credit for intelligence. I know not everybody wants to know it, not everybody wants to hear it, but if a family is coming to a GP and saying 'We are concerned about our relative, there is inappropriate behaviour, this is what is happening.' I don't see that it breaks any medical ethics for the GP to say 'What are your concerns, explain them to me fully, what do you think is happening' and then put his own informed input in. And if he's asked directly 'Is there any sign of dementia?' I believe if he thinks there is, he should honestly say 'Yes I think there is.' Because people deal better with what they know than what they don't know in the end.