Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Olive's ordeal...outrageous...

Olive Beal, who has failing eyesight and uses a wheelchair, is a 108 years old; she has been told she must wait at least 18 months before she receives a new hearing aid, reports The Guardian.

"Born in 1899, Mrs Beal grew up in Paddington, west London, and went to school with Christabel Pankhurst, daughter of suffragette leader Emily, and helped at suffragette demonstrations."...what a life....and what a way to be treated.

7 comments:

Linda Mason said...

All's well that ends well Span. Specsavers are supplying the digital aids free of charge.

Like most aspects of NHS care in the UK, this is subject to the ususal post code lottery. Example, my father who lives close by got his digital hearing aids (that he doesn't use) within weeks of going on the waiting list. My Uncle, different healthcare trust but only 10 miles down the road, waited 12 months for his, despite the fact that his need was great and he does use them!

Span Ows said...

Thanks for the update Mags. Good old specsavers...only goodness in their hearts and no commercial reasons for doing it! ;-) I'm joking, good on 'em, if I ever need specs I shall go there.

Re your father and uncle...what a state of affairs and what a good example of the adverse effects of the post-code lottery!

Linda Mason said...

I didn't know that specsavers did hearing aids too until they opened up a couple of branches in the vicinity. They must have heard about my hard of hearing family.

The Great Gildersleeve said...

I heard that too(do you suppose that they thought at her age maybe she'll not get to use them?)

Yes, Specsavers stepped in. Its happening more and more. It shouldn't but everyone wins I guess.

I'm due an eyetest with them sometime soon(well, I'm a couple of months out)

I used to go to Vision Express in a neighbouring town but Specs opened a branch in my town and I was impressed with the examination, I suffer with lots of floaters and they did the usual stuff plus used a bright light with magnification etc...to check the retina to see all was well(no pun intended)and though the optician and assistant in store was probably younger than me(everyone is :-) They have them too. So they knew what I was on about.

Hope I can avoid needing any other service from them...

Span Ows said...

Gildy, sounds like you need to adjust your diet a bit: too many floaters isn't good.

(whistle)

The Great Gildersleeve said...

Span :-) Very good...

As for Olive she sounds remarkable and I'm happy to see a happy outcome.

Gavin Corder said...

On the radio tonight : The case of bedridden old lady given an NHS dentist 15 miles away points out that she's bedridden and can't get to the dentist, gets a letter saying if she gets a note from her GP she MAY be able to get on the list another dentist that is only ten miles away...

I despair!