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Turn up and help reform long-term care for elderly
1:15pm Monday 13th October 2008
By Peter Law »
HAMPSHIRE’S pensioners are being urged to come out in force to help shape the future of long-term care in Britain.
It is hoped the Great Hall in Winchester will be packed out for the Age Concern Hampshire annual conference tomorrow.
The conference falls on the final day of the consultation period prior to the Government’s long-awaited Green Paper on long-term care.
The Government’s head of social care strategy Alexandra Norrish – the person responsible for drafting the Green Paper – will be the keynote speaker.
“It is imperative that the Great Hall is full in order to convey the strength of feeling on this issue,”
said Age Concern Hampshire director Chris Perry.
Under the current financing system, an estimated 40,000 elderly people a year are forced to sell their homes to pay for their costly long-term care.
Mr Perry called on the Government to scrap the system and said a staterun insurance scheme – funded by all taxpayers – was the ideal solution.
However, it has been rumoured the Government is favouring an equity release scheme that would introduce similar charging for home care to that for residential care – exactly the opposite of what Age Concern is trying to achieve.
“We’re not against equity release if it is to enhance a person’s quality of life, but if it’s to pay the local authorities to provide services that most people should have anyway it is unacceptable,” Mr Perry added.
“It’s a cheap option for the Government and it is paramount the well-being of older people is put ahead of trying to save money.”
Presided over by former Saints manager Lawrie McMenemy, other speakers at the conference include Cllr Ken Thornber, leader of Hampshire County Council, Gordon Lishman, director general of Age Concern England, Carl Petrokofsky, of the Government Office of the South-East, Dr John Beer, executive director of Adult Social Care for the City of Southampton.
The conference starts at 10.30am and admission is free.
Your Say YourEcho
Sentient, says...
4:34pm Mon 13 Oct 08
I don't believe that taxpayer-funded insurance is the only answer, but a much better solution than the government idea of equity-release.
I firmly believe that if you require care/support, and can afford it, you should pay for it. Equity release is a poor investment, and will be worse now that property has fallen. It also transfers risk to the equity release company (most of whom must be flapping at the moment). Why not simply force someone to sell their home, realise the cash and pay for their care? If the cash runs out, then use the proposed insurance scheme.
We don't have a right to state support in order to preserve our estate. I'd rather pay for a private Long Term Care insurance policy or sell my home and leave nothing to my estate (and IHT) to ensure that I, or my wife, had the appropriate level of care.
AngrySotonResident, says...
8:15pm Mon 13 Oct 08
goard wrote:I am sorry to hear of your and your mums experience of that care home, they should have informed you of every accident as and when it happens. Especially if they were on her head as every head injury should have hospital intervention.
Most of us when we are young shrug our shoulders and say 'I'm alright and why should I worry about getting old'. My mum, a lively old gal ended up in a home and later had unexplained bleeding scrazes on her hand and head. I was always given the excuse - 'she fell down' she fell alongside the toilet' and so on. To this living day I will always feel responsible for her unhappy demise. As far as I am concerned I would rather take an overdose and leave this world. A member of the family who acted as night time nurse still lives in horror at a 90 year old lady screaming in a tiny skreechy voice at the pain she was receiving from inconsiderate handlers - from bed to chair - god forbid don't let me go through this. goard
It is the greed of the care home managers that serve as a problem for all involved with elderly care. They increase the size of the property to increase revenue but keep the work force to an absolute minimum thus making personal one to one care very limited for each and every resident.
Also embedded with this greed is the opportunity to use a foreign workforce who are willing to work for pittance. I beleive that this workforce has no real respect for british civilians and as you say are inconsiderate with their handling techniques.
To be honest the best way to handle your elderly care and to leave something for the family is to sell the property for a minimal amount to immediate trustworthy family and stay as a tennant or sell your property buy a cheeper one and give the rest as a gift to your family.
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goard, Southampton says...
2:54pm Mon 13 Oct 08
goard