Elderly care on edge of collapse warns charity

SOCIAL care for the elderly is on the verge of collapsing, the charity Independent Age has warned.

Under-funding of social care in England means older people are being increasingly let down by the system, it found in a survey.

If trends continue, access to social care will “predominantly become a service based on ability to pay and many older people will be left to fend for themselves and forced into crisis”, said the charity.

It is calling for older people to have free access to personal care – initially based on current eligibility criteria, but in the future to be available to all older people in need in England.

Personal care includes help with everyday activities, including getting in and out of bed, getting dressed, preparing a meal and shopping.

A poll for the charity of 2,000 English working age adults found that 74 per cent support free personal care for everyone who needs it.

More than two-thirds said they would pay more tax to provide free personal care for all. Independent Age’s Janet Morrison said: “Many older people are being let down by a social care system in crisis that is failing to meet their needs.

“Giving older people the right to free personal care would change that.

“Not only is it what people want but they are also willing to pay a bit more tax to get it.

“Free personal care would significantly reduce the number of older people marooned in hospital due to lack of available personal care and would enable more older people to live independently and stay in their own homes for longer.”

Ian Hudspeth, chairman of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board, said: “Adult social care services face a £3.5billion funding gap by 2025.

“Work to find a long-term funding solution for adult social care and support has been kicked into the long grass by successive governments.”