Bathroom plans go down the plughole
Friday 17th September 2010, 2:29PM BST.
Maureen Pengelley in the bathroom of the States flat in which she lives with her husband. (Picture by Peter Frankland, 1028559)
AN ELDERLY couple have been refused a grant to put a bath in their States-owned flat, even though one of them can’t use the shower.
Charles Pengelley, 74, has spent the last two years trying to get the Social Security Department to fund the work at the flat in Sous Les Hougues for his wife, Maureen.
The 73-year-old has Alzheimer’s disease. She finds it frightening to have water going over her head in the shower and so refuses to use it.
He approached the Housing Department to install a bath but although it agreed the work could be done, it would not pay for it. The pensioner then applied for a grant from Social Security, but was turned down twice.
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Don’t get it, how does she wash her hair without putting water on her head?
Can she not lower the shower head so the water hits her body rather than her head? I know I can do that with mine.
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I’m afraid it is not mearly about lowering the shower head!
For all of us, showering or bathing should be a relaxing expereince, but for some people who live with alzheimers disease, it is that rush of water from an overhead shower that they find frightening or distressing, which is clearly how Mrs Pengelley feels. It is one of the most common reasons for anxiety amongst people with dementia (alzheimer’s)
I’m sure Mrs Pengelley did not ask to be diagnosed with alzheimer’s, yet a basic request of help with funding for a new bath is refused. From reading this short article, it appears that yet again, the States of Guernsey are letting down one of it’s residents.
I have not lived in Guernsey for some years now, but surely the States have a duty to assist Mrs Pengelley in living her life as independently (within her diagnosis) as she can.
A person living with dementia (alzheimer’s)often feel’s vulnerable and in need of reassurance and support. A simple request for bath, I’m sure is about helping Mrs Pengelley retain her sense of identity and feelings of self-worth.
I don’t know the Pengelley’s, but I do know about supporting people with dementia.
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Firstly – let me applaud Mr Pengelley for continuing to care for his wife single handed at a time in life when most of us would surely hope to be taking things a little easier and receiving care and support rather than providing it.
Social Security would to well to consider that without him as primary caregiver, the States would have to take on the cost of looking after Mrs Pengelley on a full time basis – which would far outweigh the cost of providing a bath!
A little common sense and humanity on the part of officialdom is all that’s needed to resolve this situation – or is that too much to ask?
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KJ I hope you dont ever suffer from alzheimers.What a thoughtless comment.I would sit you in the garden under a sprinkler.
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