Well, a new day is here, and an email from one young son that commented on my last blog saying, remember it’s London, most of it is shit cramped living, and, maybe you guys are just spoilt for luxury, hahaha :-). I guess there might just be some truth in both those comments, however today did not start off much better than yesterday. Of the two plastic ‘glasses’, one was split so we shared the one remaining plastic ‘glass’. There was only one sachet of coffee this morning, and still two people in the room. I forgot to mention yesterday, there is only one hook in the bathroom for two towels, also a bit of a challenge, because as mentioned yesterday, there are not enough chairs to hang the other towel on either. The next interesting experience I had was with the hairdryer. The power point in the bathroom, the only one we could find near a mirror, is set underneath the hand basin, and the cord on the hairdryer is so short, the only way to use it to dry my hair was to either sit on the floor, or have my dear husband sit on the floor to hold the lead in, otherwise it pulled out when I stretched it to use. What a farce! Half way through, we realised by shifting the kettle and a few other things, we could use that power point, and by closing the bathroom door had another mirror, but still the lead is so short it was a one way mirror experience. It definitely added to the usual complicated experience I have of using the thing anyway, so perhaps I’d better go back to the Head Shave look worn in 2005? This is very tempting, but my dear husband hated that look! I have been awake again since 2.30am as I’ve not got my act together yet following the long haul trip, or maybe I’m just not sleeping well at the moment. Anyway, after yesterday I thought there was only one way to go, but I was wrong, at least for the beginning of the day. Thankfully though, the content of the conference today has helped to set aside some of our negative experiences, and the sessions have been enlightening, as well as a little frightening as some of the data and public policy indicates there is still such a long way to go for improved services for people with dementia, and their carers. I have been encouraged the service providers, researchers and dementia community in general are making such an effort to review the past, the current and the future, and it is an exciting time for everyone. And as my son suggests, I’d better stop acting spoilt, and just get on with it!!
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Kate,
Love your last 2 blogs.
Great to see you are being treated the same as everyone else.
Enjoy the company, the ideas, and the chats in between. They seem to be the most enlightening part of any conference, when the true ideas are circulated.
Jeff
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Having english background I can both understand and laugh at your Hotel experience!
The bathroom plug is something enshined in UK Building codes. Hence, mains sockets have to be a certain minimum distance from water sources, and likewise, appliances typically used near water have to have short leads. It is all about kids electrocuting themselves by say, dropping the hairdryer in the sink!
When my dad was still at home in his dementured state that probably applied to him. He thought toilets were ideal for watering pot plants! Mum wasn’t convinced they needed constant flushing!
The cramped conditions are typical, but not acceptable. What you are describing isn’t just cramped, it is poor service, one chair in adouble, 1 coat hook, cups and coffee, they are just sub standard. Go on enjoy yourself, have a good whinge to the management! Although whinging about the chefs and cooks can be dangerous, they have ways and means of getting their own back!!
Paul
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Well that makes me feel better – I was trying to think of any experience I have had in London that was other than cramped but I couldn’t – but then we lived there, and when we visit we stay with friends, so I have never used a London hotel, and I have no way of knowing whether your experience is standard or not! But if you live there – well space is at a premium! Our two roomed hospital flat (both rooms together smaller than all but one of the rooms in our current house) was considered palatial, and my husband recalls visiting friends in their “studio” flat (read one tiny room) and sleeping in the “kitchen” which was an alcove not quite big enough for his sleeping bag!
You do seem to write a lot of blogs about the problems you have with hairdryers – why not dispense with hairdryers all together? It can only make life simpler. I haven’t ever used one regularly (I know, it shows) and don’t own one – too time poor! Come to think of it, my comb doesn’t get used too often either. lol.
(How many blokes do you know who stress about hairdryers? It’s yet another a wicked plot to hobble women – along with high heels and hand bags! 🙂 )
Anyway, we do travel so we know how good it is to come home! x
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Having got use to comforts in life, you are allowed to have a ‘moment’ there is nothing worse than wet hair, I always dry my hair, not for vanity but for the fact I hate it ‘cold’. I am slightly comforted by the fact the conference has good content and it is not a disaster.
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