Tag Archives: Older care

Left alone for 15 hours: Widespread outrage over plight of Leeds OAP

March 6, 2014   Carers, Older care, Social care
A pensioner’s experience has prompted readers, charities and politicians to demand more is done for our older people. Katie Baldwin reports.

Lily Latham. Published on the 06 March 2014 09:36

Lily Latham.

Widespread outrage has been sparked by the case of an 88-year-old disabled pensioner left stranded in bed for 15 hours.

Readers inundated the Yorkshire Evening Post with angry comments after we revealed yesterday how a home care service had insisted on putting Lily Latham to bed at 6.30pm.

Because Mrs Latham is totally immobile, she was forced to stay there without even being able to get up to go to the toilet until her morning visit at 10am.

One of the widow’s carers found her sobbing in bed and the grandma said afterwards: “I have no dignity left now”.

Now Leeds MP Greg Mulholland, co-chair for the All Party Parliamentary Group for Ageing and Older People, called the failures in care “disgraceful”.

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Many vulnerable people denied care, says Age UK

March 6, 2014   Carers, Older care, ukcuts

A “catastrophic” situation is developing in England

By Nick Triggle Health correspondent, BBC News

Man climbs stairs

A “catastrophic” situation is developing in England with many vulnerable elderly people being denied care, campaigners say.

An analysis by Age UK found the proportion of over-65s getting help had fallen by a third since 2005-6.

Last year, under 900,000 over-65s got help – one in 10 people in that group – compared with 15% seven years ago.

The review – based on published data – estimated at least 800,000 older people were going without vital help.

This includes council-funded help in the home with daily tasks such as washing, dressing and eating as well as care home places.

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Will eldercare be as common as childcare?

February 26, 2014   Carers, family, Older care

By Andrew Bomford BBC Radio 4’s PM programme

A number of major employers are offering “eldercare” – help with looking after older relatives. Will this soon be as common as providing help with childcare?

Just before Christmas 2012 Deborah Gemmell realised she was a carer.

Deborah’s 82-year-old mother, Pauline Cuthbert – “feisty, independent – she has a better social life than I do” – fell and broke her nose. The accident shook Pauline’s confidence. She wouldn’t leave her house in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, in case she fell again.

Deborah, who lived a two-hour drive away, would have to take time off work to accompany Pauline to hospital appointments. She had a back-up plan – an eldercare package offered by her employer, giving up to 20 days assistance a year from a registered carer who could take her mother to her clinic.

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