Funding cuts are meaning over a million older people are left without basic social care
- 14 Apr
Experts have said that the number of people needing help with day to day tasks being left to struggle due to lack of state funded social care has hit a million.
Age UK have estimated that last year 900,000 people aged between 65 and 89 have unmet social care needs, however now believe it's closer to one million, reports The Independent.
Age UK's chief executive Caroline Abrahams has said that the issue of social care is the most important issue for voters in the next election.
40% of cuts to government funding for local councils, who provide the majority of social care, has left a huge impact on older people, and leaves many struggling with basic tasks.
Figures from Age UK show 250,000 people who qualify for help in the home due to difficulty getting up and down stairs receive no support. The figures also show 5000,000 people who require help with washing and almost 600,000 people who require assistance with dressing are getting no support.
Ms Abrahams said: "The importance of good social care really hits home when it touches you or those closest to you. From that point of view, it is notable that many of our leading politicians are only in their forties so they are probably too young to be seeing the huge value of social care for themselves. But in 10 years' time it is likely that many of them will be worrying about mum or dad's capacity to cope as they become frailer and trying to see if they can get home to help as part of their busy working lives."
Age UK estimates that it would cost £3.36bn - only 0.22 per cent of English GDP - to meet the needs of all elderly people with moderate care requirements.
What do you think of this? Tweet us your comments @suppsolutions
Related articles
- 01 Sep
Older people need more male carers
Professor Martin Green has said that the government needs to do more to recruit males into front-line adult social care roles, reports the BBC.Prof Green has said that with the increasing number of...
- 25 Aug
Survey finds older people have better quality of life in retirement villages than care homes
Chief executive of Audley Retirement, Nick Sanderson, has said that demand for his form of extra-care housing was so strong he could not build homes fast enough, reports the Guardian.He said: “I...
- 12 Aug
Older people’s Commissioner disappointed by Welsh Government
Sarah Rochira, Wale’s Commissioner for older people has said she is “extremely disappointed” at the response from the Welsh Government to its call for action to protect residents in care homes,...
- 31 Jul
Charity warns of loneliness in older people
The Campaign to End Loneliness charity want a “range of support” for older people to help them fight loneliness, reports the BBC. The charity says that transport and technology are essential to...
- 27 Jul
New housing for older people promised
Members of Kensington and Chelsea’s cabinet have decided to create 150 new homes for older people on the site of a care home that closed down in 2014 due to Legionella, reports Get West...
- 22 Jul
New drug provides hope for older people with Parkinsons
Scientists have found that people taking glitazone pills were less likely to develop Parkinson’s than people taking other diabetes drugs. However, they have cautioned that the drugs could have...
- 15 Jul
Lack in dignity when caring for older people in hospital
In a poll from 2012 it has been found that poor care is most likely to be experienced by people over the age of 80, reports the BBC. Over a third of patients who need help at mealtimes did not...
- 09 Jul
New housing development for older people in Sunderland
A 16.3m housing and care scheme has been opened by the Leader of Sunderland Council, reports Sunderland Echo.The accommodation provides 158 two-bedroom apartments for older people and 17 one bed...
- 07 Jul
Social care cuts leaving older people stranded
Age UK is calling on Chancellor George Osborne to put an end to cuts to social care funding due to the increasing rate the older population is growing, reports the Yorkshire Post. Age UK has...
- 01 Jul
Charity wants priority for older people in housing
Erosh represents organisation providing housing and support to 120,000 older people and has written to new government ministers in opposition, reports Inside Housing.The letter calls on ministers to...
Responding to the DWP Consultation: Housing Benefit Reform - Supported Housing "It was well-run, in a good location, and very useful. I've only one suggestion; as the session went on it would perhaps have been useful for bullet points of general agreement about what should be in the sector response to be displayed and added to as the session went on, maybe on a flip chart. Regarding your response paper, I particularly like the answer you give to question 9. In fact the general: "if it ain't broke don't fix it" response could be pushed harder." M.P. - Adref Ltd
