Thread: Alzheimers

Originally Posted by zilly

As far as I know meds. are free to pensioners here.My friends mother coped well with the move to Spain initially-only now she needs support.The financial implications are quite big though-and people with skills at supporting Alzheimers clients are pretty few and far between.Some of the "carers" are doing no more than a sitting service.There is a new unit down on the coast I believe that is purpose built for clients with advanced conditions-but Spanish of course.

There was something about free healthcare for "expat" OAPs in Valencia a while ago???? Cant remember what, but it was something along the lines that Valencia was one of the only places to offer free healthcare, but had to stop it cos they were running out of money - I may have got this wrong???????? I'll see if I can find the link

Jo xxx

........... I dont know if this is it - and I dont know if you're even looking at Valenica, but it may give you an insight in how things work in Spain???

Healthcare in the Valencia Autonomous Community

Jo xxx

I may very well be wrong but I think Valencia was about pre-retirement folk.I'm pretty sure at pensionable age meds are free if you are part of the Spanish Health System--but I could be wrong.

Originally Posted by zilly

I may very well be wrong but I think Valencia was about pre-retirement folk.I'm pretty sure at pensionable age meds are free if you are part of the Spanish Health System--but I could be wrong.

I'm not sure either !!! I just remember talk about it a while ago and thought it was something to do with OAP "non nationals" not getting as much free cover as they used to. But then that goes against the EU regulations and the fiscal agreements with the UK??!!! I dont know. I'm also pretty sure that the Spanish dont do so much in the way of social/home help like they do in the UK, but I guess this all needs to be looked into by the orignal poster

Jo xxx

Community care resources are very thin on the ground here because of the extended family support network -so up to now it has really not been needed.As the fabric of Spanish family life changes-more working women etc- then I guess the need will increase for the elderly and people with needs to have community support-but at the moment I think the average spanish family copes well.In my local town I regularly see elderly people with dementia out in shops-restaurants etc with their families--which is really good to see as they are still valued members of family and community.

Originally Posted by zilly

Community care resources are very thin on the ground here because of the extended family support network -so up to now it has really not been needed.As the fabric of Spanish family life changes-more working women etc- then I guess the need will increase for the elderly and people with needs to have community support-but at the moment I think the average spanish family copes well.In my local town I regularly see elderly people with dementia out in shops-restaurants etc with their families--which is really good to see as they are still valued members of family and community.

Thats very true. The Spanish, on the whole do seem to respect their elderly and look after them with pride. Its a shame if it goes they way it seems to have done in the UK

Jo xxx

I agree entirely- and not only the elderly-but people with physical and learning disabilities are very much involved community wise-how refreshing to see.
Gone off thread -sorry !

The situation in Valencia was that expats who had taken early retirement were originally promised that they would get free healthcare and then recently they were told it was stopping as it was too expensive to continue with it.

If you are over pensionable age you are entitled to free healthcare in Spain, wherever you live, under EU regulations. We have friends who have been living here a lot longer than us and they say the treatment they have received has been first class. Having said that, I think that you have to pay for prescriptions - I will try and find out for you and get back.

My mother had Alzheimer´s, so I know how difficult it can be in the later stages. When she was in hospital (she also had cancer) and I visited her she said "Who are you?"I looked straight at her and replied "Who do you think I am?" To my relief she smiled and answered "My daughter!" She was in one hospital, then discharged into a care home, and then back into another hospital. I wasn´t too happy about the care home (my aunt and my niece had suggested it as they lived near my Mum), and I was also unhappy about the first hospital she was in, but the second hospital was excellent and the staff there were very caring. What I guess I am trying to say is that do whatever you think is best for your mother and don´t necessarily assume things will be better for her in the UK.

Hope it all works out well for you and your mother.

Sue

If your are a UK State Pensioner, prescriptions are free, if you are the Dependant of the afore mentioned, they are 55c a prescription! That is the case in Granada anyway.