Public Meeting this Saturday: "Do the Elderly and Disabled NEED Local Care?"
Venue: Brook Street Chapel School Room, Adams Hill, Knutsford. WA16 8DY
Date/time: 2.30 - Saturday 31 March 2012 - arrive and leave as it suits you - there is no limit on who can come.
Everybody is welcome.
Dear Friends and Organisations,
Please pass this email and the attached poster around everyone on your mailing list. Feel free to print both, hand them to friends and put them in public places.
I would be grateful for your help
We are aware that to the 6507 people who signed the recent Petition have an interest in ' Local Care for Local People to take place in Local Areas '.
The question now is how can we achieve that Local Care?
The decision made by Cheshire East Cabinet, that Bexton Court should be permanently closed, was only the tip of the iceberg of public closures in this area. Eight Councillors have 'called in ' that decision, which will now be discussed at the Adult Services Scrutiny Committee at
09.30 on Friday 13 April 2012. Perhaps if you have time, you might like to attend? There is time for Public Questions. It will be at Westfields, Sandbach. There is parking. Members of the public are entitled to attend.
Public Meeting this Saturday: "Do the Elderly and Disabled NEED Local Care?"
Venue: Brook Street Chapel School Room, Adams Hill, Knutsford. WA16 8DY
Date/time: 2.30 - Saturday 31 March 2012 - arrive and leave as it suits you - there is no limit on who can come.
Everybody is welcome.
The intention is that this Public Meeting will be the start of many more, which will move across the former county of Cheshire, to pick up and promote the best ideas for care of the elderly and disabled.
There will be display boards showing what we have lost in this Northern area of Cheshire East, and what is currently happening.. and the opportunity to talk, plan and influence affairs, for the benefit of all.
We want your ideas to work with. Your input is the most valuable tool to move forward into what might be known as, "The Age of Experience"
( For instance, Knutsford has a projected 10-year rise of 18% in older people between 2007-2017 , with a general population which is falling. )
In old age, do we want to be treated as unwanted parcels - or as
long-lived people with a great deal of life experience, which we are determined to put back into the community, to its benefit and ours?
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In a joint move, Knutsford Area For Knutsford Action and Cheshire Area for Cheshire Action has called a public meeting this coming Saturday afternoon to discuss the impact of the complete removal of public services for the elderly and their family carers from Knutsford. This includes all Public Day and Respite Care and Rehabilitation Hospital Ward Care. Similar problems are also arising across the area.
During a time of rapidly rising population ageing, what sort of care are we willing to find acceptable?
Is it adequate that any Day or Respite Care takes place many miles away from the towns in which we live?
Are we happy - because of distance and difficulties caused by the lack of public transport - not to be able to oversee that the care received is good, suitable, and caring?
With a rapidly aging population, many of whom are likely to show signs of dementia (1 in 4 over the age of 85) and other ills, what are our expectations for ourselves and our loved ones as we age?
Is it a good idea to remove the most vulnerable people from a community in which they and their needs are known, to care which takes place, where they are not known, and where local people are totally unaware of their needs and difficulties?
Many people who have problems with dementia do not have Alzheimer's but the less discussed Vascular Dementia. This is a form of dementia which, allowing for a sense of purpose, can readily be helped, by 'familiarity of surroundings and people', by social understanding and by the continuing determination and work of the person who has it. That allows for free will and is helped by the understanding of the local community for its own people. If we could just make more sociable arrangements for our older population, the early support, of healthy people would also help to support those who are in failing mental and physical health. We all need friends.
It is stated that one obvious difference between those who suffer from Alzheimer's and those who suffer from Vascular Dementia, is that if something has been forgotten - a name or a place, or a set of keys - and the person with Vascular Dementia is just encouraged to remember but not given the answer, in a short time of brain searching, they usually can remember. With Alzheimers, the result is - sadly - not the same.. but perhaps if the brain can be kept active, the quality of life could be so much improved . Memories and songs and community help all people. Dividing the old from their intergenerational communities seems to be a retrograde step. So why should we put up with it?
Day and Respite Care in distant places, removes both productive challenges and freedom of will, no matter how kind or caring is the treatment. Moving already confused people across the county, by the day, for their care is counterproductive to their welfare and to that of their Family Carers.
It might be hoped that, following a long and productive old age, we might all just die quietly in our sleep, having had a really good day before going to bed.
As a matter of enlightened self-interest, what can we now do to help ourselves?
Will you please come -and encourage others to come - to the public meeting? There will not be speakers. The format is just display boards and the will to gather information from all comers, about what you would like, and possibly how it can be achieved.
We also need to hear/read about experiences good and bad.
Perhaps, if we can find a way forward, that would help us all?
Thanks for reading. Please come if you can. Spend just a few minutes - or longer - to see if we can change our future for the better.
Charlotte
Charlotte Peters Rock
Knutsford Area For Knutsford Action - http://knutsfordareaforknutsfordaction.blogspot.com/
Cheshire Area for Cheshire Action - http://chachauk.blogspot.com/
0156 572 2738 - 07050 183 417
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