Minister for the elderly
The elderly are a growing sector of our population and yet despite calls for a Minister for the elderly to be appointed it still has not happened
In 2011 Broadcaster Esther Rantzen and charity officials visited Number 10 to lobby the Government to appoint the new minister, who they want to tackle issues affecting the elderly.
They handed over a “Grey Pride” petition backed by 130,000 people – including comedian Tony Robinson, One Foot In The Grave star Richard Wilson and Birds Of A Feather’s Linda Robson.
This was in response to the fact that amongst our elderly population more and more are dying alone and penniless with around 5500 people north of the Border die “penniless” and have their funerals arranged by their local authority.
According to older people’s charity Anchor, many of them are elderly with no family or friends to look after their affairs, so they end up in “pauper’s graves”.
Anchor’s chief executive Jane Ashcroft said: “These sad figures speak for themselves.
“Close to 40,000 people, mostly elderly, are dying around us with no family or friends nearby to care for them every year.
“Our ageing population is growing and so is the worrying picture of isolation and loneliness.
“This is why it is important that older people are given a voice at the highest level. We are urging the Government to listen and appoint a minister for older people.”
In 2012 it was reported that “MPs have unanimously urged the government to consider creating a “minister for older people”.
The decision was reached after a cross-party group of backbenchers, who say elderly members of society are often overlooked by politicians, launched a Commons debate on the subject.
Under the last Labour government, broadcaster Dame Joan Bakewell served as an older people’s “tsar”.
So why are we still waiting in 2013 as more and more scandals are revealed regarding the care of the elderly and vulnerable?
Jean, I couldn’t agree more.The situation is so wrong. I paid to attend a conference in London in November so I could be in the same room as policy makers and influencers. The stats are terrifying and you are almost better to have been on benefits all your life, then in retirement, there is less difference. Did those in the know say you would have to sell your home now? I was under the impression that the local authority place a charge on it and then when you pass away they recover the care home fees and the estate gets the residue.
Hello Caron,
,My husband has Dementia and the cost of placing in him a care home is frightening.
The thought of me having to sell my home and live somewhere else is awful.
I have made enquiries about the cost of Care in a local home and our contribution based on Alan’s Pensions is 1,200 pounds per month that is about 14,000 pounds per year. If you times that by say 20 elderly people in one home that is 288,000 pounds a year . We do contribute a lot. My husband worked until he was 68 and paid a full stamp all his life. Yet we are made to feel as if we a scrounging and wanting something for nothing.
What I and my husband will do when due to inflation his contribution of 1,200 pounds per month is not enough I do not know.
I feel that everyone in the country should either have a some of say just 50p out of their wages and pension per week. 50p is nothing but times by the whole country a lot.
Your thoughts please
Mrs Taylor
Hello Derek,
Thank you for contacting me and I have emailed you. I hope to be able to offer some advice to lead to a satisfactory conclusion of this matter.
Caron
Hi,
I live in sheltered housing along side 39 other people, run by Metropolitan Housing Trust.
We have had a problem with a resident for a long time now. I have been here for just over a year.
It seems, she can do what she likes to other elderly residents and Metropolitan do nothing about it. Yet, if anyone says or does anything against HER, they face sanctions or even eviction.
What can we do about this ? It appears even the staff are scared stiff of her. We need help here. Who is the Minister for the elderly and disabled to protect us from this evil woman ?
Derek Flint