Projecting that the number of
people of state pension age will rise from 12.2 million to 15.6 million by
2035, this is one of the hardest questions we face in Britain today.
Some believe that the NHS
should take on the biggest responsibility, reasoning that it has the expertise
and the funding to care for the vulnerable – especially as, they observed, the
decline of the traditional family often leaves the elderly with no personal
support.
However, even the NHS now
admit that Care is in Crisis due to the lack of funding. The NHS might be able to provide skilled
nurses, but would it ever be able to care for the elderly as well as their
family?
Others will, argue that families should take on most of the
responsibility instead. Their logic being that grown-up children have an
in-built obligation to their parents for raising them, and family members were
therefore more likely to provide a more personal, comforting standard of care.
Parents often make huge
sacrifices to bring up their children - surely, looking after them when
they are vulnerable should be a basic duty? However, per crime figures 62% of
abuse to our elderly is caused by those related to them.
The argument is ongoing and
has been for generations.
Argument 1: we pay taxes to ensure we are cared for in our older age
Argument 2: family can’t always provide
Argument 3: the NHS is better and more consistent
Caring for our elderly is all our
duty, our responsibility even if it is
just to ensure they get good care in a nursing home. Our elderly deserve to have a personal choice about type of care they receive, what is
most suitable for their needs and where or what will make them happy.
With Care in Crisis it appears that the state can only afford basic (poor) care standards, how many of our Care Providers and our care staff would reside in their own care homes as they are now, with the same lackadaisical approach to training and standards? I think possibly the answer will be none. Therefore, something needs to change, standards need to be raised, Training needs to be essential and provide the necessary tools for care staff to complete their tasks.
You can support The Edith
Ellen Foundation by donating
just £1 could make a huge
difference to our ability to continue to raise awareness, offer essential
training and improve standards
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