Half a million frail over-80s ‘abandoned by the care system’
NEARLY half a million frail over-80s who cannot carry out routine functions like washing, dressing or eating get no help from the care system, a report said yesterday.
Another 300,000 get some assistance to carry out their basic everyday tasks, but not enough to cover everything they need, it said.
The report, by the Age UK charity, said that a total of almost 800,000 elderly people do not get enough help to live their lives at a decent level.
Its findings underline deepening fears for vulnerable old people struggling to survive at a time when the social care system, operated by local councils, appears to be breaking down.
The charity, who timed its report to coincide with election manifestos, called for the next government to inject urgent cash to shore up the care system and develop a new longterm plan. Director Caroline Abrahams said: ‘These figures do not so much reflect a social care system which is sometimes performing less well than we would like, but instead, a complete breakdown in the way we care for our growing older population, with even some of our oldest being left to manage with help that is grossly inadequate or sometimes offers no help at all.’ The report, based on findings from the large-scale English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, counted numbers of people of 80 or older who are unable to carry out at least one task described as an ‘activity of daily
‘Complete system breakdown’
living’. These include washing, eating, getting out of bed, going to the bathroom, dressing or walking unaided.
It said more than a third of over-80s, 926,000, have difficulty with at least one of these, and 794,000 of them get too little help from carers or no help at all. Among those with at least one difficulty, more than half, 491,000, get no help at all.
More than 250,000 people over 80 are said to have three difficulties – one in ten of all over80s. A third, 86,000, get no help, and another 145,000 get some but not enough, Age UK said.
Councils operate means tests to decide who gets help from state-funded carers. However, councils also allocate carers depending on the level of disability of the individual. Labour’s manifesto promised £8billion extra cash for care over the next parliament, £1billion to be spent in the first year, and the estab- lishment of a National Care Service costing £3billion a year. Lib Dems suggest proceeds of a 1p income tax hike will free up more for social care.
Meanwhile Theresa May has hinted at bringing forward David Cameron’s pledge of a £72,000 cap on the amount anyone would have to spend on their own care. Miss Abrahams said: ‘Older people in their 80s and beyond have spent many decades contributing to our society ... But too many who are in declining health and who need help are now being expected to fend for themselves amidst the unprecedented challenges facing our care services.’