Families shun care homes to look after elderly themselves
Overall number in care has gone up by just 1,000 in decade despite pensioner numbers rising by a million
- Proportion of older people in residential homes has fallen – despite predictions more working families would lack time to look after relatives
- Better health and increased life expectancy likely influenced shift
- But high costs and concerns over quality of care in low-paid industry beset by scandals may also be factors, say Office for National Statistics
Tens of thousands of families are shunning care homes to look after elderly relatives themselves instead.
Official figures show that while pensioner numbers have risen by almost a million in a decade, the number in care rose by just 1,000.
This means the proportion of older people in residential homes has fallen – despite predictions that more working families would lack the time to look after parents and grandparents.
