Agnes makes a plea for better understanding of the importance of self-directed support.
Good morning everybody. It’s Agnes in Coatbridge calling. It’s at the witching hour again, stupid o’clock in the morning.
I just wanted to say that I’ve been campaigning for a long time now, and I know the government is saying things, I know that charities are saying things to us living with dementia, and it reads good, sounds good, and we’re all working hard to make it an action at grass roots. But unfortunately, the grass roots, it won’t happen for me. But thank God I’ve got the knowledge, and being more at the beginning I can dig my heels in. I can be as stubborn as any politician and just give the people, over and over again, what my outcomes are, what my needs are, and what I want.
Yes, I have another long term condition, yes, all they’re doing and all they can do is symptom manage it, because I’m on all the medicine that they can give me. So why won’t they let me use the processes that we have fought for, and just let me be safe in my bubble at home, have the care that I need at home, and be in control? I have done my future wishes, everything is written down. It seems so easy, and yet it seems so hard for the professionals to understand. Just be kind, be compassionate, and just let me be – safe, in my bubble, with my support online, with my two hours a week yoga helping me to centre my breathing. It’s not that hard. And you can see it works. Every day I’m at home it saves the Government money. Keeping me out of the hospital is saving money. Yet, it’s not working. I’m tired, I’m wearied. Not one system has supported me yet again and I am lying safe in the house. I’d like to say I’m contented but I’m not, I don’t feel safe, because i’m just waiting on some professional to say “Right, hospital”
But, onwards and upwards, and with the help of my…. and my Deep friends, I’ve got the best I can make out of my life, and I just want to thank everybody who has supported me over the years, who has been kind to me, to give me all the information that I need, because without you I wouldn’t be here today, in my safe haven, at home. So many many thanks to everybody. Bye!
