A couple from Penn, Wolverhampton feature in a video for an Alzheimers charity thats been shortlisted for an award. We catch up with them to get a small glimpse into what life is like with Alzheimers.
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00:00 Made that a little bit confusing. I found out just after that, that I got...
00:09 I got something I can't think of the word of, I'm sorry.
00:25 Alzheimer's, I don't know if I've got Alzheimer's.
00:30 Yes I'm fine thanks.
00:47 Still down to David but he's there.
00:54 And I've seen you there on the video doing your gardening but I'm just going to tell the world you have a gardener you cheeky devil.
01:02 Right.
01:03 You're trying to make out you do all the graft.
01:07 I'm grassing you up here Frank.
01:11 Hopefully you'll forgive me.
01:16 But no so that's a video that was filmed here at your home for Alzheimer's UK.
01:23 Alzheimer's Research UK.
01:25 Alzheimer's Research UK and yeah just fill us in Alison.
01:28 So it was basically a video to inform people wasn't it and highlight what kind of the condition is and what it means.
01:34 It was to raise awareness. When Frank was first diagnosed with Alzheimer's we didn't tell anybody other than family and close friends.
01:43 And then we began to question why that was and then we decided that maybe we could do our bit by raising awareness.
01:51 So we contacted Alzheimer's Research UK and built a relationship with them and then they came to do the video so that they could raise awareness and they can raise vital funds for research.
02:05 Yeah and they spent a full day with you. I promise I won't take up that much of your time.
02:11 Although we have been having a good yarn and chinwag but before this haven't we.
02:15 But Alison so how old's Frank then? How old did we say?
02:21 I was 79.
02:22 79 then 79 and it's five or six years ago wasn't it you noticed the first.
02:27 That's right yeah it was about six years ago now that I first noticed that things were not quite right.
02:32 And that the first couple of things you were noticing what was going on then Alison?
02:35 The first thing I noticed was changes to Frank's driving. He'd always been a really good competent driver.
02:41 And he was beginning to make mistakes but he couldn't see those mistakes and that really concerned me.
02:47 And then he forgot our wedding anniversary for a couple of years and that was really out of character as well.
02:55 Yeah.
02:56 And then he began to forget other things and struggled to began to struggle to make sense of things.
03:01 So we then began the quite a long journey to get a diagnosis which took quite about 18 months.
03:07 So you get you get the diagnosis and I guess I guess it's perhaps what you were it wasn't a surprise by the time you get the diagnosis.
03:20 It wasn't a surprise but it was devastating to have it confirmed.
03:25 Yeah and Frank where are we at with yourself now you know it's it's it must be scary difficult to we were chatting off camera
03:36 you were saying it's just a case of kind of accepting what it is and how are you coming to terms with it Frank?
03:44 Well I try and be honest about it I know there's nothing I can do about it about the actual illness.
03:50 So I've got to learn to live with that and make the best of what's around for as long as I'm here.
03:59 Yeah.
04:00 Yeah yeah.
04:01 I don't know how long that's going to be.
04:04 Yeah.
04:05 It's going to be long.
04:06 Yeah.
04:07 Longer rather than shorter.
04:09 And you said you have to kind of push yourself to do things you know it's quite easy when you're going through what you're going through to think you know what I don't want to pop down and see friends and it's quite easy just to you know maybe just stay in the house shut the door.
04:24 But you do push yourself don't you?
04:26 You've got an active social life haven't you?
04:28 Yeah.
04:29 You've got a good bunch of friends.
04:30 I've got a good bunch of friends.
04:31 Yeah.
04:32 Although you're right I do tend to be a bit lazy about keeping up it's more effort to keep up with them and have to get in touch in ways that I'm not familiar with.
04:47 Yeah.
04:48 Either phone or walking and whatever.
04:50 Yeah.
04:51 But it's the only way through really.
04:54 I should be making far more effort than I do.
04:58 Yeah.
04:59 Retaining the good friends that I had.
05:01 Yeah yeah.
05:02 Mind you that can go across the board can't it?
05:05 I can say I don't make the effort I should do you know.
05:08 So you're a big Wolves fan.
05:11 You loved your Wolves.
05:12 I still do.
05:13 I've got a lot of offers I can't name.
05:15 Oh do you?
05:16 Yeah fantastic mate.
05:17 I'll watch it on TV if you can.
05:18 Yeah.
05:19 On TV if possible.
05:20 Yeah.
05:21 And you attend a club I believe John Richards goes to the one club doesn't he?
05:24 There were special clubs in.
05:25 Is it at the Molyneux is it?
05:27 Yeah.
05:28 Yeah.
05:29 There's a Molyneux meeting at the ground every week for people in a similar situation to me.
05:35 Yeah.
05:36 In fact I'm probably one of the youngest there.
05:38 Yeah.
05:39 Which is refreshing.
05:40 Yeah.
05:41 And just share memories of the games back in the day.
05:48 Yeah.
05:49 And the ex-players and some of the current players come and shake hands and so on.
05:57 Yeah.
05:58 They're lovely.
05:59 They're really lovely.
06:00 Well if John Richards sees this video we just want to send that a big thanks to him because I know that means a lot to you doesn't it?
06:05 With John being there.
06:06 It sure does yeah.
06:07 Yeah.
06:08 And you used to play a bit of guitar.
06:09 That's three chords you used to know.
06:12 Four chords you told me.
06:13 Four chords on a good day.
06:15 Four chords on a good day.
06:16 That's he's packed in playing that now.
06:18 I suppose that is a blessing isn't it Alison?
06:21 Well before I met him he was in a pop group in the Midlands.
06:26 Were you?
06:27 Yeah and Wolverhampton.
06:28 No way.
06:29 They were reasonably successful.
06:30 What was that called then?
06:31 They called the Big Beats or the Wolves.
06:33 Yeah.
06:34 And the Jurymen.
06:35 Or the Jurymen.
06:36 Yeah.
06:37 So what did you used to do in that then?
06:39 Were you on the guitar?
06:40 I was a singer.
06:41 Were you?
06:42 I was a lily singer.
06:43 No way.
06:44 How about that?
06:45 I remember you toured Germany and you used to support groups like the Kinks.
06:51 No way.
06:52 Supporter Kinks.
06:53 Well that's interesting because there'll be a lot of people who'll go well I know that band name.
06:58 Do you know what I mean?
06:59 Yeah.
07:00 So can you still belt out a tune?
07:02 You still got any lungs left on you or what?
07:04 Can we?
07:05 Oh struggling there.
07:07 Yeah.
07:08 I want to be your man if you're lucky.
07:10 Yeah.
07:11 And do you still get pleasure from music?
07:15 Do you still enjoy?
07:16 It's a big thing other than the Wolves and my wife.
07:20 Big thing in my life.
07:22 Yeah.
07:23 Hang on, hang on.
07:24 Let's just pause.
07:25 She came second then.
07:26 In that list.
07:27 I should be okay by tomorrow.
07:29 I don't love music.
07:33 I love pop music.
07:35 Yeah.
07:36 Classical music.
07:37 Theatres.
07:38 I go to the Grand Theatre a lot in the time.
07:40 Oh beautiful.
07:41 Yeah.
07:42 I love it.
07:43 Yeah.
07:44 So I'm going to put you on the spot here.
07:46 I mean I'm a very, very young man as you can tell.
07:49 Maybe not.
07:51 But does when you get diagnosed with a condition like this do you reflect and think does it make you want to say to a young person look you know make the most of this, make the most of that.
08:06 Are there things that have you ticked your boxes in life.
08:12 What's a bit of advice if you were speaking to someone a young person now who takes life for granted what might you say to them.
08:21 I'd say enjoy life.
08:23 There's lots and lots of great stuff around and you tend to notice it when you can't.
08:30 Yeah.
08:31 If you know what I mean.
08:32 That sounds a bit.
08:33 No.
08:34 Yeah.
08:35 I think it's important to go and enjoy it, go and enjoy keeping loads of friends.
08:39 Just do a lot of laughing.
08:41 Yeah a lot of laughing.
08:42 A lot of laughing.
08:43 I like that.
08:44 I like that.
08:45 I think we always think there's going to be a tomorrow but nobody knows.
08:50 So don't put things off if you can do them and they don't have to be things that cost a lot of money.
08:55 Just keeping in contact with your friends.
08:57 Laugh a lot.
08:58 Love a lot.
08:59 Yeah.
09:00 And do your best to help your friends and your community.
09:04 Yeah.
09:05 We'll go with that.
09:06 And I suppose we should just get the plug in.
09:08 You're a film star now.
09:10 This video you've done.
09:11 It's up for a potential award isn't it?
09:13 So I believe yeah.
09:15 Yeah.
09:16 I don't know too much about it to be honest.
09:18 I've probably been told but I've forgotten.
09:20 Yeah.
09:21 Well that's the way in it.
09:23 Do you know what I mean.
09:24 I mean Alzheimer's UK, Alzheimer's Research UK.
09:28 If people want to see the film.
09:30 If they go on YouTube and put in Frank and Alison we've managed to find it as easy as that haven't we?
09:35 Yes but in order to vote for it they need to go on to the Smiley Charity Film Awards.
09:41 Yeah.
09:42 And put Frank and Alison and then they can vote.
09:44 They've got until March the 12th to vote so only another week.
09:48 Yeah.
09:49 And voting will mean that Alzheimer's Research UK will get more publicity.
09:54 Yeah.
09:55 And more funding to fund vital research and that's why we're doing it.
10:00 Well I knew I was meeting a film star today.
10:03 I've just found out I've met a black country singing legend as well.
10:07 As well as a keen gardener.
10:09 So thank you for sharing some time with the Expressing Star for a video.
10:14 Thank you Frank and Alison.
10:15 Thank you.
10:16 It's a pleasure.
10:17 Thank you.
10:18 It took me a long time to see myself as a carer as well as a wife and partner.
10:26 And I really resisted against that.
10:28 But that's not helpful to Frank so I do have to see myself as his carer as well as his partner now.