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• Nerves & brain >> Motor Neurone Disease >> Carers >> Bev - Interview 47 >> She needed a break but was very unhappy about the quality of care at the hospice. She came home early and felt her mother had deteriorated in the hosp

Bev's mother died about a year after developing speech and swallowing difficulties and being diagnosed with bulbar onset MND, aged 72. Her family were unhappy with many aspects of the care received.

• Nerves & brain >> Motor Neurone Disease >> Bulbar onset >> Sarah - Interview 21 >> The hospice is a warm and kind place. They helped her draw up a Living Will. She does not want invasive treatment. [Voice software interview].

Sarah was diagnosed 7 years ago when 7 months pregnant with her second baby in 2000. Now she cannot use her arms or walk unaided, and her speech is affected, so she uses voice software to communicate.

• Nerves & brain >> Motor Neurone Disease >> ALS- amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/MND aged 50-64 >> Stuart - Interview 05 >> Demand for hospice places in his area is so high he was told they could not offer respite care to people with MND. He went to a hospital rehabilitatio

Stuart first noticed symptoms (legs shaking) almost 20 years ago. MND diagnosed 9 years ago (1997), after years of tests and investigations. Now uses a wheelchair.

• Nerves & brain >> Motor Neurone Disease >> Carers >> Ann & Barry - Interview 48 >> It helps her to have hospice respite care for her husband. The care is excellent but he'd probably prefer to stay at home. She still visits him every

Ann's husband Barry was diagnosed with MND about 10 years ago (1997) at the age of 49, after two years of symptoms and tests. (Since identified as primary lateral sclerosis - PLS).

• Nerves & brain >> Motor Neurone Disease >> Carers >> Una & Bill - Interview 49 >> She wonders if the hospice staff realise how tiring MND can be. She feels lonely when he has respite care, and worries that he may be losing some func

Una's husband Bill first noticed symptoms at the end of 2005 and was diagnosed aged 63. A ventilator greatly improved his energy levels for nearly a year. He had a PEG fitted but does not yet use it for feeding.

• Nerves & brain >> Motor Neurone Disease >> Carers >> Roger & Luise - Interview 45 >> When he had an operation he needed help. Luise had two weeks in a wonderful Sue Ryder home, but was moved to a less satisfactory nursing home when hom

Roger's wife Luise was diagnosed in 2004 aged 59, after a year of weakness in her fingers and leg. Roger and his sons cared for Luise at home until her death in 2006.

• Nerves & brain >> Motor Neurone Disease >> Rarer forms - familial/inherited >> Ken - Interview 34 >> Ken is happy to have day care at the hospice, but she finds it hard to see him there and thinks the volunteers are sometimes a bit over-enthusiastic.

Ken was diagnosed with rare inherited (familial) form of MND less than a year ago (2006). He has limited arm and leg movement, has a PEG and uses a Lightwriter to speak, but carried on working until a month ago. Interviewed through his wife Chris.

• Nerves & brain >> Motor Neurone Disease >> ALS- amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/MND aged 50-64 >> Penny - Interview 11 >> A Living Will makes her wishes clear even if she can no longer express them. She wants the best quality of life she can without invasive intervention,

Penny was diagnosed three years ago (2003) with ALS, after having arm weakness, pains and coughing fits for three years. The condition has progressed quite slowly so far.