Articles

Local charity says new law threatens care needs of elderly

19/08/2014

Age UK Bury says the Care Act of 2014 may deny some elderly people from receiving care.

The new care law is being touted as one of the significant reforms  in social care ever since the 1940s but Bury's Age UK points that there are vague provisions that may prevent some elderly from receiving care they rightfully deserve.

The current law classifies care eligibility into critical, substantial, moderate and low. Elderly people in Bury who fall under critical and substantial levels are currently receiving care.

The new care law has removed the above levels and classifies elderly patients into two groups: those who are eligible to cared for and those who are not. Eligible elderly are those who are physically or mentally disabled and unable to perform day-to-day activities, such as, washing or getting out of bed, maintain relationships with persons, work  or take care of a child.

However, there is also a provision in the new care law which provides that elderly people who are eligible may be denied care if an assessment done by a social worker concludes that their disability is not substantial enough to pose a threat to their well-being.

12,887 elderly in Bury stand to be affected by the new care law once it takes effect in April 2015.

Age UK Bury recently held Care in Crisis Consultation Event to raise awareness regarding the vagueness of the new law. The charity also encouraged the public to participate in public consultations held by the government.

Andy Hazeldine, Bury's Age UK head, said: “We see older people not receiving the care they need and as a consequence, they are ending up in accident and emergency units and hospital wards. This simply shifts older people around the system at great financial cost, creating distress and disruption. This makes absolutely no moral or economic sense and that is why we want to ensure the voices of older people, and their carers, are heard loud and clear.”