Elderly care catastrophe

Campaigners have argued that an elderly care catastrophe is developing, with many vulnerable elderly people being denied care.

Age UK found that the number of those over 65 receiving care had fallen by a third since 2005/06.

900,000 over-65s received help last year, which represents around 10% of this age group. Seven years earlier the figure was 15%.

As a result, at least 800,000 vulnerable older people are going without help, prompting this warning of an elderly care catastrophe.

According to Age UK, this is largely the result of a budget squeeze. Local Authorities have been forced to reduce their adult social care budgets by around 15% in real terms over the past three years.

This budget reduction comes at the same time as the elderly population of the UK is growing, with more elderly people in need of vital care services.

Less money spent by councils and greater demand has resulted in Local Authorities rationing services, according to Age UK, another example of an elderly care catastrophe.

Back in 2005/06, around half of Local Authorities provided assistance to those with ‘moderate’ needs. Today, the figure is just 13%.

As a result of spending less on adult social care, councils could be costing the NHS more money, as it increases the risk of expensive hospital admissions.

Government reforms to the funding of adult social care, which are currently making some progress through parliament, could result in an improvement – but there still appears to be a substantial gap between what needs to be spent and what is being spent.

Simply reforming the system by introducing a lifetime cap and raising the means testing threshold will have little impact without more government funding. In fact, it could exacerbate an already difficult situation.

Speaking to a group of retirees last week on the subject of care fees funding, I explained that, if possible, avoiding Local Authority funded residential care in later life is a preferable course of action.

In my opinion, the situation will only continue to deteriorate as the population gets older and budgets are squeezed further still.

Where affordable, take responsibility for funding your own care needs in later life, whether that is residential care or care services provided in the home.

Do get in touch to chat about your options for meeting the often substantial costs of care.

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