Tag Archives: Older care
LET’S FIGHT FOR THE ‘FORGOTTEN GENERATION’
Grandparents can care for the young but who will care for the elderly
Tuesday June 26,2012
By Esther Rantzen
TEN MILLION people in Britain are without a voice, without an advocate, without rights of their own yet these 10 million have spent their lives earning the right to respect and advocacy and their voices desperately need to be heard. They are the Britons over 65 who have given so much to our country.
Many worked hard, brought up families, scrimped and saved during the war years and are still proud and uncomplaining. Many are being parents all over again – a recent survey suggested 25 grandparents a day quit their jobs to help their own children raise families.
In these tough times, with more new mums having to go out to work to support the family, it’s grandparents who are being relied on to look after the children and ensure continuity at home. Yet despite most willingly doing all they can for the family they remain unpaid, unrecognised and somewhat forgotten – not by their children and grandchildren but by society and, more specifically, the Government.
New laws announced to end age discrimination in hospitals
11:30am Sunday 24th June 2012 in News
Sutton and Cheam MP Paul Burstow has announced new laws aimed at ending age discrimination in hospitals.
Mr Burstow wants to ensure elderly people no longer face age discrimination when they need medical treatment.
The ban will mean older patients who feel they are receiving poor or undignified care due to their age, could take legal action from October.
Doctors will continue to make the final decision on treatment, but it will be illegal for the elderly to be denied treatment on age grounds alone.
Care home whistleblowers increasing
More than 4,300 whistleblowers have come forward in the past 16 months to complain about the treatment of elderly and disabled people in care.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) – which regulates care homes and hospitals in England – said some of the complaints concerned care home residents being physically assaulted.
Complaints rose from 22 a month in December 2010 to 556 in March 2012.
The CQC said whistleblowers included relatives and staff.
