TV Alzheimer's widow made advisor

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/cambridgeshire/6939500.stm

Version 0 of 1.

The widow of a man whose battle with Alzheimer's disease was made the subject of a TV documentary is becoming a government advisor on dementia.

Barbara Pointon's husband Malcolm, 66, died in February from the disease.

The last 11 years of the Cambridgeshire composer's struggle with the illness were filmed, with his final days shown in an ITV1 documentary.

Mrs Pointon, of Thriplow, described her new role as wonderful legacy for her late husband.

She told the BBC: "It feels absolutely wonderful because this is precisely why we allowed the camera to see the detail of living with Alzheimer's and I now feel I might be in a position not to just whinge about problems but to do something to put things right - it's such a wonderful legacy."

Better education

Mrs Pointon added: "One priority is to get a speedier diagnosis.

"Malcolm, like many others, was diagnosed with depression for two years and then we got the right diagnosis after years of problems.

"And I think a second priority is better education for GPs, nurses and care workers, right through the whole spectrum.

"Fifty percent of doctors say they are not confident about the amount of knowledge they have about Alzheimer's."

The documentary Malcolm and Barbara: Love's Farewell, was a sequel to Malcolm And Barbara: A Love Story, which chronicled Mr Pointon's early battle with Alzheimer's.

Film maker Paul Watson and the TV channel were forced to defend the documentary, which was aired on Wednesday evening, after publicity claimed Mr Pointon passed away in footage, filmed three days before his death.