We’re being left out of the big society, say the deaf

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BSL, deaf community, healthcare, hearing loss, Interpreters, sign language, social exclusion

We’re being left out of the big society, say the deaf

Thousands of deaf people are socially excluded because of a lack of adequate services for sign language users, campaigners say.

Up to 70,000 people, many of whom cannot lip-read or have poor English skills, use British Sign Language (BSL) as their first language. But half of them leave doctors’ appointments feeling confused because of the poor quality, or absence, of interpreters, research suggests.

Action on Hearing Loss has called for improvements in healthcare access and standards for the hearing impaired. A survey by the charity, formerly the Royal National Institute for Deaf People, found that half of BSL users left medical appointments confused. “We are talking about vital information on medication or even traumatic diagnoses,” said Helen Arber, the charity’s head of capacity development.

It also wants the Government to set a minimum standard for communication for deaf people throughout society. Of the 10 million Britons who have some form of hearing loss, more than 800,000 are severely or profoundly deaf. “There is still a huge way to go to ensure any kind of level playing field for them,” Ms Arber added.

“We are proud citizens but we are treated as lesser citizens,” said Jeff McWhinney, a former head of the British Deaf Association, who campaigned for the formal recognition of BSL as a language.

Activists have also complained to the BBC that sign language interpreters were not shown on screen during big events such as the Olympics, the Diamond Jubilee and Barack Obama’s election victory speech. Television broadcasters are legally required to provide subtitles for 80 per cent of programmes and sign language in 5 per cent of programmes.

Caroline Hurley, an IT manager who is deaf, said subtitles were often inadequate: “They are, on average, seven seconds slow and frequently stop when live speakers talk too fast, so we miss important information.”

More: Do you see what I’m saying?

Footballer Gordon Banks and Sir Michael Parkinson reveal dementia heartbreak

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anxiety, awareness, carers, dementia, Depression, diagnosis, family, healthcare, memory loss, stigma, support, symptoms, treatment

Footballer Gordon Banks and Sir Michael Parkinson reveal dementia heartbreak

Former England footballer Gordon Banks and Sir Michael Parkinson have relived their heartbreaking personal experiences with dementia to inspire the nation to reduce the stigma about the condition.

The pair, alongside broadcaster Fiona Phillips, are also encouraging people who think they have any symptoms of the condition to seek medical advice.

New research from Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI) found that a quarter of people hide their diagnosis because of negative connotations surrounding dementia.

Phillips, whose parents both had dementia, said if her mother had been diagnosed earlier then she could have handled the situation better.

“I would have been able to plan more for mum instead of doing everything in a big rush,” she said.

“Our house always smelt of baking when we were little and I used to love helping mum make cakes and there were always cakes in the tin.

“She rung me up at 3am one morning crying her eyes out and she said: ‘I’ve forgotten how to make cakes’. And my childhood went then.”

Sir Michael said: “The ultimate problem you have to face with anyone who has any form of dementia is that you lose them before they die.

“I lost my mother 18 months to a year before she died and that is the ultimate desperate tragedy.”

Banks, whose brother David suffered from the condition, recalled: “We sat in the lounge talking to him and we would ask him a question and he would just go blank – he wouldn’t answer it – he couldn’t remember what we were discussing.”

The trio have joined a government campaign to increase early diagnosis rates for dementia.

The new campaign, which is part of Prime Minister David Cameron’s pledge to help change people’s understanding of dementia, has been launched today on World Alzheimer’s Day.

Ministers hope it will raise awareness of the condition, what initial signs and symptoms look like and how to seek help.

Mr Cameron said: “Dementia is a devastating disease that puts enormous strain on people and their families.

“Shockingly, nearly 400,000 people are unaware that they have the condition and so we want to make sure more people know what dementia is and how to spot those tell-tale signs.

“With the number of sufferers set to rise in the years ahead, I am determined that we go much further and faster on dementia.

“That’s why I launched a Challenge on Dementia in March, doubling the research budget and working across society to improve health and care, and supporting people to live well with the condition.”

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt added: “Our goal is to make this country a world leader in tackling the challenge of dementia.

“That requires us all to play our part, including being brave enough to start conversations about dementia to get our loved ones the early help we know makes a difference.

“Awareness is just the first step towards tackling the stigma around this condition and we need to work together if we’re going to help those living with dementia have a better quality of life.”

Jeremy Hughes, chief executive at the Alzheimer’s Society, said: “Talking to a loved one about dementia will probably be one of the most difficult conversations you ever have, but it will be worth it.

“Early diagnosis is crucial in helping people with dementia to access the support and help they need to live well with the condition.”

Research, released today by the ADI, also found that three quarters of people and 64% of carers believe that there are negative associations for those diagnosed with dementia.

The report, based on a survey of 2,500 sufferers and carers from 50 countries, also found that two-fifths of people say they have been avoided or treated differently because they have dementia.

Marc Wortmann, executive director at ADI, added: “Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease continue to grow at a rapid rate due to global ageing.

“The disease has a huge impact on the families that are hit, but also affects health and social systems because of the economic cost.

“Countries are not prepared and will continue not to be prepared unless we overcome the stigma and enhance efforts to provide better care for those who have dementia and find a cure for the future.”

Initial signs of dementia, which is caused by diseases of the brain, may include short term memory loss that affects every day life, problems with thinking or reasoning or unexplained anxiety or depression.

The UK’s dementia research charity has also pledged to give £5.5 million to fund scientists researching the condition.

Alzheimer’s Research UK said the money will go towards 52 new grants aimed at understanding the causes of dementia, improving diagnosis and finding new treatments and preventions.

More:

Fiona Phillips-A Day to Remember for World Alzheimer’s Day

Michael Parkinson- A Day to Remember

Gordon Banks- A Day to Remember

Cambodia’s war crimes tribunal releases former Khmer Rouge leader

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age, Alzheimer's, Cambodia, Genocide, healthcare, justice, Khmer Rouge, massacre, Torture, Tribunal, War Crimes

Cambodia’s war crimes tribunal releases former Khmer Rouge leader

Cambodia’s war crimes tribunal set free a former leader of the Khmer Rouge on Sunday, upholding a decision that has outraged survivors seeking an explanation of the mass killings committed more than 30 years ago.

Ieng Thirith, 80, who has been declared mentally unfit for trial, was driven out of the UN-backed tribunal’s compound by family members. She made no comment to reporters.

The Sorbonne-educated Shakespeare scholar served as social affairs minister during the Khmer Rouge’s rule from 1975-79, during which an estimated 1.7 million people died of execution, medical neglect, overwork and starvation.

The tribunal initially announced its decision to free Ieng Thirith on Thursday, saying medical experts had determined there was no prospect for her to be tried due to a degenerative mental illness that was probably Alzheimer’s disease.

Prosecutors then delayed her release by filing an appeal demanding that conditions be set to restrict her freedom.

On Sunday, the tribunal’s supreme court said it had accepted the appeal, which is expected to be heard later this month. In the meantime, it set three provisional conditions on her movement.

The tribunal said Ieng Thirith must inform the court of her address, must turn in her passport and cannot leave the country, and must report to the court whenever it summons her.

Ieng Thirith was the Khmer Rouge’s highest-ranking woman and also a sister-in-law of the group’s top leader, Pol Pot, who died in 1998.

She is accused of involvement in the “planning, direction, co-ordination and ordering of widespread purges,” and was charged with crimes against humanity, genocide, homicide and torture.

Three other senior Khmer Rouge leaders are on trial, including her husband, 86-year-old Ieng Sary, the regime’s former foreign minister; 85-year-old Nuon Chea, its chief ideologist and second-in-command; and 80-year-old Khieu Samphan, a former head of state.

The tribunal said earlier that Ieng Thirith’s release did not mean the charges against her were being withdrawn and was not a finding of guilt or innocence. It plans to consult annually with experts to see whether future medical advances could render her fit for trial, although that is considered unlikely given her age and frailty.

Survivors of the Khmer Rouge called Ieng Thirith’s release shocking and unjust. They said they had waited decades for justice and found it hard to feel compassion for her suffering.

“It is difficult for victims and indeed, all Cambodians, to accept the especially vigorous enforcement of Ieng Thirith’s rights taking place at the [tribunal],” said Youk Chhang, director of the Documentation Center of Cambodia, a group that researches Khmer Rouge atrocities.

In a statement on Sunday,, he noted the irony of Ieng Thirith receiving “world class health care.” As social affairs minister she was “personally and directly involved in denying Cambodians even the most basic health care during the regime’s years in power,” he said.

The tribunal began in 2006 – nearly three decades after the fall of the Khmer Rouge – following years of wrangling between Cambodia and the UN. The lengthy delays have been costly and raised fears that the former leaders could die before their verdicts come.

Almost half of unpaid carers risking their health, survey shows

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Cancer, carers, healthcare, mental health issues, physical health

Almost half of unpaid carers risking their health, survey shows

Nearly half of unpaid carers in the UK are jeopardising their health due to a lack of support, according to a survey.

Carried out by Carers Week, a group of eight charities including Age UK, Carers UK and Macmillan Cancer Support, the survey found that 40% of carers had put off receiving medical treatment because of the pressures of their role.

In addition, 87% of the 3,400 carers surveyed said caring had been detrimental to their mental health, while 83% said they had suffered physical health problems. Another 36% said they had sustained injuries such as back pain and insomnia while caring for sick or disabled friends or family.

Helen Clarke, Carers Week manager, said the government had to do more to support Britain’s 6.4 million carers – both practically and financially. She called for more sustainable social care funding, better signposting for support services and regular health checks for carers.

“It’s a scandal that carers can’t get the time or support they need to look after themselves, which could be jeopardising their health as a result. Carers are feeling the strain of a woefully underfunded system and still we’re seeing more cuts. Unpaid carers save the government a fortune – £119bn a year – yet they’re let down in return. It is time for urgent action to tackle the crisis in social care.”

Another survey conducted by the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services last week revealed that social care budgets had been cut by £1.89bn in the last two years, and suffered a drop of 6% last year at a time when pressure from rising numbers of older and disabled adults continues to grow, at around 3% each year.

The Department of Health said it was responding to the carers issue via £400m in extra funding to the NHS for carers’ breaks until 2015.

Tracy Sloan, a carer for 20 years to her son Phillip, who has severe cerebral palsy, said she was diagnosed with cancer after missing a regular screening appointment. But once she had begun receiving treatment, there was still little time for recovery.

“Looking after Phillip is so full on, that it just didn’t occur to me to keep an eye on my own health,” she said. “I was really shocked when I discovered I had cancer and needed an operation. I came home from hospital exhausted, emotional and fragile. I really needed the chance to rest but instead I had to deal with Phillip’s demands too, and that took its toll on my recovery.”

Carers Week, which also includes the Carers Trust, Independent Age, Marie Curie Cancer Care, the MS Society and Parkinson’s UK, said that Tracy’s experience is not an isolated one.

A spokeswoman for the DH said: “Carers make an invaluable contribution to society and it’s vital that we support them to look after their health and wellbeing. We know how important it is for carers to be able to take a break from their caring responsibilities, to protect their own physical and mental health. That is why we have provided £400m additional funding to the NHS until 2015 for carers’ breaks, and why we’ve given the NHS the clearest ever direction to make carers a priority.

“We also want to place the rights of carers on a much firmer footing, so that the law recognises carers’ rights and their role in caring for others.”

According to Carers UK, 1 million carers – one in six UK carers – are forced to give up or cut back work to provide care, which can mean a significant drop in income. They said carers clocked up an average of 27 hours a week.

Angela Eagle, minister of state for pensions and ageing society has said the government would introduce reforms that would enable carers working for more than 20 hours a week to build up an entitlement to a basic state pension.