August 15, 2007
By David Rose
Elderly people are suffering from abuse, neglect and malnutrition in hospitals and care homes, according to a report by peers and MPs.
The report, published today by the Joint Committee on Human Rights, calls for changes in the law to safeguard the care of older people, and for a “complete change of culture” in health and care services.
More than a fifth of care homes have been found to be failing basic standards for privacy and dignity, with the most vulnerable residents struggling to eat without proper help, being subjected to verbal and physical abuse or being left to lie in their urine or excrement.
Two thirds of NHS hospital beds are occupied by the over 65s, while the number of older people in the population is growing such that, by 2050, there will be twice as many Britons aged over 80 as there are today. Although the committee was told that some patients received excellent care, it said “there are serious concerns about poor treatment, neglect, abuse, discrimination and ill-considered discharge.
The report includes the example of an 80-year-old woman who was sexually assaulted by a fellow resident in a care home in 2004: “It was recorded in a log book but no action taken . . . It was only reported to the resident’s daughter in July 2005. She reported the matter to the police.”
The committee’s report adds: “In our view, elder abuse is a serious and severe human rights abuse which is perpetrated on vulnerable older people who often depend on their abusers to provide them with care. Not only is it a betrayal of trust, it would also, in certain circumstances, amount to a criminal offence.”
It also cites problems with malnutrition, dehydration and the abuse of medication as a means of controlling older patients. The Alzheimer’s Society said that up to 40 per cent of patients with dementia were being prescribed powerful sedative drugs, despite the risks to their health.
Kate Jopling, head of public affairs at Help the Aged, said: “The shocking examples highlighted by this report provide all the evidence this Government needs to justify urgent action.”
Comments on this article:
I own and run a Residential Home for elderly people with varying levels of dementia.
The only news we hear about Residential Care homes is bad news but may I reassure those people reading your paper who are looking for a Residential Home for their elderly loved ones, not all homes are bad. There are hundreds of very good homely homes full of very caring staff whose only motive for working in the caring industry is to provide a safe and secure place for elderly people to live.
Although 21 per cent of care homes failed to reach minimum standard, the government through Social Services still fund these homes yet the good homes that have reached and excelled the standards set down struggle to pay staff a decent wage. It seems the Government has fantastic ideas on how elderly people should be cared for but will only give a proportion of funding expecting relatives to Top Up fees from residents’ savings. This creates a two-tier system“ those who have money and those who haven’t, and the people who have been frugal all their lives are being penalised and subsidising the people who haven’t. The government is well aware of the situation but are relying on relatives to foot the bill.
Ms Bridget Luckham, Tavistock, Devon
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"Local authorities are increasingly referring elderly patients to homes run by the private and voluntary sector, which are exempt from the Human Rights Act. "
Is this a joke? Really, are they joking?
This says that Local authorities are handing over the care of the elderly to profiteers and companies who are EXEMPT from the legal responsibility to care for the elderly...." This is tantamount to criminal negligence.
The elderly and vulnerable should have the best possible care available, and not tomorrow but now! What exactly are we paying the Government and Minister for Care Services for? To hand over responsibility to companies who cannot be monitored or held to account? It better be put right and soon! Don't forget, you create the system in which YOU and yours will one day grow old and may be dependent!!! Better put it right now.
T. Bishop, London, UK
SOURCE: TimesOnLine UK
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This report was made last year, little has changed. It seems that policy-makers will always call for more reports and studies. Even when those reports are published with recommendations; it will often take years before they are implemented.
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