The current biopic about the life of Margaret Thatcher – The Iron Lady – has received mixed reviews from movie critics and politicians alike; even Prime Minister David Cameron is said to have been uneasy over the film’s timing.
This is not an opinion shared by Paul Burstow, Minister of State for Care Services who describes the film as an opportunity to bring dementia “out of the shadows”. Speaking to the London Evening Standard, Mr Burstow is quoted as saying: “Some people have said the movie is despicable and outrageous but I can’t help but think that if it makes people more aware and less fearful of dementia – and makes them understand that this disease can strike any one of us – then it’s a good thing.
“Cancer used to be the disease that people didn’t want to talk about, but it has come out of the shadows in recent years and people are more up-front about it.
“Dementia has taken its place. It is the stigma that comes with it. We now know that people in their fifties fear dementia most of all – more than cancer even.”
Helping Hands has over 20 years of experience of supporting customers with dementia; in fact over 50% of our elderly customers have dementia to some degree. It is through this experience and knowledge that we are able to understand the nuances of the dementia, how the condition can manifest itself and what it can mean for people who have it.
Because of the nature of live in care – familiar surroundings on a one-to-one basis, it can often provide the ideal solution when looking at care options for somebody with dementia or Alzheimer’s.
