A life worth living..
Dear Katie Hopkins,
It has been almost a year since you wrote this (and various other things about dementia);
“Dementia sufferers should not be blocking beds. What is the point of life when you no longer know you are living it? Bang me over the head.”
I, fortunately, have only just stumbled across your careless words. From having a search through your twitter account it appears that you are quite opinionated on various matters of the world. You share a lot of your own hate speech on immigration and politics and that is your right to do so, as a white woman (your words, not mine). You write a lot and whilst I have concerns about some other things you have written those are not my priority, I am not as passionate about immigration or other things you have written about, but I am passionate about dementia.
This is because my Mother has dementia and I care for her full time. So when I read things like what you wrote it makes me really hope that you or anyone in your family ever gets dementia and if you do that instead of someone saying to you ‘you are taking up a bed, I’m going to end your life” they say something like “it’s ok Katie, even though you don’t remember me I will take care of you..” or “not to worry Katie, we now have a cure.” I also really hope that if someone in your family gets dementia that your opinion changes on the worthiness of living.
But here is what I would like to address, it is clear you do not suffer any form of dementia so what gives you the right to deem if someone knows they are living or not. Is it because they can no longer care for themselves that you think that they are blocking a bed, is it because they can no longer talk or walk that you think someone with dementia doesn’t experience pleasure, or is it because you have no real understanding of what it is like to suffer from a serious illness. For me, whilst my own Mum doesn’t remember who I am half the time it is pretty clear she knows she is living, for other friends and families who are further down the dementia track, it is also clear that the person with dementia knows they are alive.
I personally don’t think life is determined by memories but perhaps by a fleeting moment of emotion experienced; joy, pain, sadness, happiness.. You get my drift? Just that small snippet of experiencing life is worth it.
So when you say things like what you said it hurts the people who are working tirelessly for a cure, who go to work every day to care for someone ‘blocking beds,’ families and friends are saddened by your words because how do you know if someone with dementia knows they are living or not.. Perhaps instead of sending that kind of negative energy into the world you could be aiding research to find a cure, you could be supporting families experiencing a dementia diagnosis or perhaps you could be educating yourself on what it is really like when you are diagnosed with dementia.
Anyway Katie, that is just my two cents worth of opinion on the matter of dementia and like I wrote earlier, I really hope it never comes for you.
Peace out! xx
Me, Martha and Alzheimer's 