Older people ‘need a Cabinet minister to speak for them’
BORIS Johnson was last night urged to end the “scandalous abuse and neglect” of hundreds of thousands of OAPs and appoint a Minister for Older People.
There is no single department or minister responsible solely for the interests of those aged 65 and over.
Veteran campaigner Dame Esther Rantzen, Age UK, Action on Elder Abuse and Independent Age united to demand a Cabinet-level job to end the chaotic current approach to looking after 11 million pensioners.
Dame Esther, 79, founder and president of The Silver Line, said: “The needs of older people are sliced up between departments. Look at the muddle of social care, still not sorted in spite of all the promises. Older people are being blamed for being bed blockers in hospital and house blockers in communities when there is nowhere safe and economical for them to live.”
The charities said a dedicated ministry to address the multitude of issues facing OAPs would be a start.
Last summer, Mr Johnson created a new Office for Veterans’ Affairs overseen by two ministers to ensure government delivers lifelong support to those who had served the country.
Scotland has a minister for older people, Wales has an older people’s commissioner. In England there are only Helen Whately, as Care Minister, and Loneliness Minister Baroness Diana Barran.
Desperate
Dr John Beer, chairman of Action on Elder Abuse, said: “We’ve seen little legislative change. A Minister for Older People would have oversight of all of these issues, and would hold the Government to account.The time to act is now.”
A recent report revealed 2,000 desperate pleas for care from pensioners are rejected by local councils every day. Around 700,000 requests for formal care and support made by older people in the past year were not dealt with but it is thought twice as many in England are not getting the help they need.
Increasingly the burden falls on charities like The Silver Line – Britain’s only 24-hour free telephone helpline – Age UK and others.
Meanwhile one million older people are victims of abuse each year.
In 2012, MPs urged PM David Cameron to consider creating a Minister for Older People. No action was taken. Successor Theresa May just appointed a minister for loneliness.
Last year, Mr Johnson promised to produce a “long-term plan” to provide dignity and security in old age. But there are now 1.5 million people aged 65 and over with unmet care needs.
Caroline Abrahams, charity director of Age UK, said: “From bank branch closures to social care, there’s plenty of evidence of government being tone deaf to older people’s lives.”
Deborah Alsina, chief executive of Independent Age, said: “Right now, many older people feel ignored, isolated and marginalised.We therefore support the Daily Express’s call for a Minister for Older People.”
A Government spokesman said: “Issues specifically affecting older people are already covered by Cabinet ministers across departments including the Home Office and Department for Health and Social Care.”