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ARTICLE SUMMARY

Help us to end the nation's shame

THE Daily Express has launched a crusade to transform the scandalous treatment of our elderly.

HELP US TO END THE NATIONS SHAME.

28.04.08, 12:58pm

Please forgive me, 'myself even being one of the referred ! There are proceedures in place in a free land / democracy ? we are given 'Free
Speech'........! doff cap, knucle
forelock, "Thankee Squire"
Just how many 'elderly' are there in the UK ?
Perhaps not all elderly are suffering, what of the 'priveledged classes' ? To be entirly honest ' One ' is the poorest elderly person one knows ! This is probably ones own fault as one has led one hell of a life ! Every day is Christmas Day for this one, attitude , attitude, attitude, Bowed out of Grammar Scool to travel the world whilst it was still young. One enjoys good health, and did indeed see the world,
it's inhabitants / characters.
No elderly folks retirement home for this one 'Thankeee veryyy much Squire.' One will load ones boat with 'hooch' and sail into the sunset when the time comes, 'live in hope ! '........

• Posted by: juan01 • Report Comment

HELP US TO END THE NATIONS SHAME

21.12.07, 11:59am

Firstly I admit I am a pensioner and yes I am self motivated but I believe that it need not cost a fortune to alleviate some of the worst problems we are enduring and here are some suggestions

Increase the tax threshold for over 65's to £15,000 a year

Get rid of the costly Gordon Brown so called Tax Credit which actually should be called a the TAX PENALTY system and replace it with a reasonable pension ( the cost would probably be covered by the saving in doing away with the tax credit farce department)

Simplify income tax forms so that you enter all income from whatever source and this would help anomilies like a millionaires wife receiving child benefit and I am not advocating this in detrement to millionaires because in the main they have worked hard to acheieve their money

Why, if true,am I paying tax to give child benefit to some Pole or Albanian or other who says??? he has kids back home (When did Poles Albanians Etc pay NI contribuitions to the UK Economy)
Why am I paying for Goverment Translators IF YOU CANT SPEAK ENGLISH PAY FOR YOUR OWN TRANSLATOR AND IF YOU CANT AFFORD ONE YOU WILL SIGN AN AGREEMENT TO PAY THE COST OF SAME TRANSLATOR or ASK A FAMILY OR A FRIEND IF IT IS GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU TO COLLECT MY TAX £'S THEN YOU ARE GOOD ENOUGH TO LEARN THE LANGUAGE

I can think of many more ways to save Billions of £'S to be able to pay a reasonable pension to our over 65's

Sincerely

The Silver Surfer







• Posted by: silversurfer • Report Comment

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OUTRAGIOUS TREATMENT

17.11.07, 12:05pm

The way we treat our elderly population is a disgrace and I've stated that many times in my role as a councillor. Unfortunately, I am in a minority group and can't change anything by myself.
Those that accepted the government changes to abandon wardens in care homes ought to hang their heads in shame. Councils are short of money thanks to government imposed rules but they still have enough for translation services and promoting minority festivals.
It's time they got their priorities right and started looking after those who have contributed to this society and not those who wish to exploit it. Welfare should be a failsafe not a lifestyle, get the scroungers out to work.

• Posted by: Lastkingoftheenglish • Report Comment

CSCI NOT QUICK ENOUGH TO ACT

13.11.07, 12:11pm

As someone who has worked for 26 years in the care sector in varrious roles. I feel that from my observations & experience that CSCI is not as effective as it should be. I have been invoulved in reporting bad practice & abuse but CSCI are slow to take effective action. We need a better way of protecting vulnerable people.
Prisoners get more protection!! They have 'prison visitors' to protect their 'rights'
I think all care settings should be visited by 'Visitors' who are independant of CSCI. I would be happy to do this and would know what to look out for. I currently assess care staff working towards thier NVQ & am concerned at some of the bad practice I have seen. I do report it & in one severe case the home eventually closed, this took too long. We need to have systems in place to protect people & deal with abuse Quickly

• Posted by: jojam • Report Comment

HELP US TO END THE NATION'S SHAME

31.10.07, 9:13am

When the government actually listen to the people of this country they will realise that they no longer create the standards that we demand.
If a country was to be dismantled to better fit the economic structure that is Europe then this nation is it.

The Labour party have:
Ignored our elderley
Sent troops to war with poor provision
Closed Hospitals
Closed schools
Sold property and land that belongs to the people.
Sold part of the Gold reserve at a loss.
Opened the borders
Dumned down being British
Anihilated being English
Sold school playing fields
Sold off and dumned down the Post office
Ignored the wishes of the indiginous population whilst pandering to immigrants.
Signed treaty/constitution giving over rights of self determination.
Raided out pensions that we have worked for all our life.
Pandered to the dictats of PC European law which is a farce because we are the only ones to adhere to it.
Ignored the farmers
Ignored the fishing industry
THEY SHOULD BE SHOT not paid as ministers they are traitors and we should kick them and any other party out that does not GIVE TO US WHAT IS OURS.
They are elected to run the country not to give it away...Time to act.

• Posted by: songbird • Report Comment

CARING AT HOME - LUCKY YOU!

15.10.07, 11:47pm

Am reading the following the Crusade with great interest. Unfortunately do not expect that much will change even should the Crusade be successful in certain areas - there are too many things wrong with our treatment/care/provision for the elderly to be put right apart from possibly bits and pieces over a lengthy period of time.
Loved the articles on 15 October about caring at home and Ann Widdecombe's article on Saturday. Having an elderly parent with Alzheimers I would like nothing better than to look after her full time, unfortunately I do not have the premises to be able to do so, nor the money or space to convert my house to assist her (ie downstairs bathroom etc.)I also work full time - for necessities, not luxuries. Unlike many, I don't classify having a 40" TV as a necessity, and have not had a holiday in 10 years. If I was to give up work to care for my mother, then I would in all probability end up losing my house etc. etc. I have looked into it all in great detail and know what assistance I would and wouldn't get and it is an impossible solution. The ladies who are able to look after their parents are so lucky - I know it is extremely stressful, having being an almost full time carer and working at the same time for the past 4 years. My mother was living independently(with care)until fairly recently, however following a minor fall has now ended up for assessment/review/ rehab in our local cottage hospital which specialises in elderly and EMI care. The ward is at the end of a corridor and if you see a nurse during the time you are there you are extremely lucky. I realise that they are very short staffed - however that is not my problem - my problem is my mother and the care/non care she receives. Being left in a chair all day results in her becoming totally non responsive and lethargic and the whole situation following the fall i.e. general hospital admission prior to cottage hospital admision has put added stress on her and exacerbated her Alzheimers. If I were able to look after my mother I would, but whichever way you look at it this is impossible. I totally support people who are able to do this, but please don't classify those of us who can't as non caring - the guilt every time I leave my mother is constantly with me. We are currently looking at the possibility of residential homes for her and the stress of the whole situation becomes worse as you realise that this is NOT what you want for your parent but this may be the best that you can get. I want my mother to be safe, secure and cared for. Is it too much to ask for her?

• Posted by: megan1 • Report Comment

CARING AT HOME - LUCKY YOU!

15.10.07, 11:47pm

Am reading the following the Crusade with great interest. Unfortunately do not expect that much will change even should the Crusade be successful in certain areas - there are too many things wrong with our treatment/care/provision for the elderly to be put right apart from possibly bits and pieces over a lengthy period of time.
Loved the articles on 15 October about caring at home and Ann Widdecombe's article on Saturday. Having an elderly parent with Alzheimers I would like nothing better than to look after her full time, unfortunately I do not have the premises to be able to do so, nor the money or space to convert my house to assist her (ie downstairs bathroom etc.)I also work full time - for necessities, not luxuries. Unlike many, I don't classify having a 40" TV as a necessity, and have not had a holiday in 10 years. If I was to give up work to care for my mother, then I would in all probability end up losing my house etc. etc. I have looked into it all in great detail and know what assistance I would and wouldn't get and it is an impossible solution. The ladies who are able to look after their parents are so lucky - I know it is extremely stressful, having being an almost full time carer and working at the same time for the past 4 years. My mother was living independently(with care)until fairly recently, however following a minor fall has now ended up for assessment/review/ rehab in our local cottage hospital which specialises in elderly and EMI care. The ward is at the end of a corridor and if you see a nurse during the time you are there you are extremely lucky. I realise that they are very short staffed - however that is not my problem - my problem is my mother and the care/non care she receives. Being left in a chair all day results in her becoming totally non responsive and lethargic and the whole situation following the fall i.e. general hospital admission prior to cottage hospital admision has put added stress on her and exacerbated her Alzheimers. If I were able to look after my mother I would, but whichever way you look at it this is impossible. I totally support people who are able to do this, but please don't classify those of us who can't as non caring - the guilt every time I leave my mother is constantly with me. We are currently looking at the possibility of residential homes for her and the stress of the whole situation becomes worse as you realise that this is NOT what you want for your parent but this may be the best that you can get. I want my mother to be safe, secure and cared for. Is it too much to ask for her?

• Posted by: megan1 • Report Comment

RESPECT FOR THE ELDERLY

15.10.07, 1:34pm

It is sad to hear so many stories about abuse of the elderly and lack of respect for them. I have been working in the health and social care fields for over thirty years and can say that things have definitely improved from what it used to be before. I can also confirm that there are many more instances of very good practice and caring and loving environments in the public and private sector that are never mentioned or celebrated because they are not news worthy. Let us not forget the good job that many care and health workers are already doing and use this campaign to stamp out the pockets of poor practice that obviously still exist.

• Posted by: Karuna • Report Comment

THERE IS ANOTHER OPTION TO CARE HOMES = DIRECT PAYMENT SCHEME

15.10.07, 12:56pm

Hi there.Re AMBER - Posted 14.10.07.

Amber and everyone else PLEASE be aware that there is another option to going into these appalling care homes. If a person wished to remain in their own home and receive care 24/7 that is funded by their local authority then they should persist with their wishes by asking for THE DIRECT PAYMENTS SCHEME. When a social worker does a needs assessment for a person then THEY ARE PERFECTLY ENTITLED to ask for the DIRECT PAYMENTS SCHEME. This allows the person to remain in their own familiar surroundings and the carers go into their home to provide their care.

!!THE SOCIAL SERVICES RARELY ADVISE PEOPLE OF THIS OPTION !! AND HAS BEEN DESCRIBED TO ME AS "THE BEST KEPT SECRET " This is a disgrace in itself because it's not fair to withold VITAL and life changing information like this. PLEASE DO NOT SEND YOUR RELATIVE INTO THESE [S]CARE HOMES IF YOU CAN AVOID IT ........!! ASK FOR AND DEMAND THE DIRECT PAYMENT SCHEME !!

• Posted by: KayJay • Report Comment

THOSE WHO ABUSE THE ELDERLY SHOULD BE SEVERELY PUNISHED

14.10.07, 6:40pm

The governments proposed help for the elderly to afford care is probably welcome to some and a step in the right direction.

What worries me though is that I have seen the abuse that some poor elderly people receive in social care homes.

I had one Aunt who was always an immaculately turned out lady, who descended from French aristocracy who was forced on account of becoming inform to sell her home in Wales and go into a private nursing home.

The said home usually insisted on us advising them that we would call on our Aunt before doing so, but on one occasion my family and I called by on speck and asked to see our Aunt. To our utter horror she was lying in bed on soaking we newspapers, put on top of the base sheet because she was incontinent.

Our Aunt cried saying her bottom was sore and red raw, and she was in terrible pain.
She told us that she had been left lying on these soaked newspapers all day and that on some days they had left her sat on a commode all day.

To see the appalling state a former immaculate Aunt was reduced to was heartbreaking.

Her bedroom shared with two other residents stunk of urine and they were expected to eat meals in there.

We realized that this was why our Aunt was so think and like a living skeleton, she was so put off her food by the stench of urine that she couldn't bear to eat.

We reported the home and removed our Aunt from it with immediate effect, and the owners were prosecuted for abuse and neglect of the elderly.

Another Aunt who had to give up her home to go into a council run care home was also found in a similar state when we called unexpectedly on her, we alerted her children in Canada and she was able to escape a similar plight.

A third Aunt also related to French Aristocracy and immaculately turned our, refused point blank to go into a home after she fell and broke her femur and was left housebound, too scared to go out ever again. I gave up hospital nursing to move in with her and I nursed her until she died, I just could not bear to see a third member of my family being abused and neglected.

There should be money available to help people to remain in their own homes and to get the caring and second to none help and support they need and have the right to choose whether they want to remain at home or go into social care.

The social care homes should be forced to accept regular inspections by an agency set up to do just that, so that abuse, neglect and cruelty toward the elderly is never allowed to happen again.

There are many more elderly people suffering the same way as my Aunts did and this must be stopped.

• Posted by: Amber • Report Comment

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NATIONAL CARERS FORUM.

14.10.07, 4:51pm

I believe that which you state to be true as I personally have witnessed such foul uncaring money grabbing private care homes and disgusting hospital conditions which OUR LOVED ONES are forced into for CARE and then killed, fleeced, frightened and stole from.
Those in our councils and government in high office do know about this scandal and outrageous maltreatment of our old folk and pretend not recognize these facts for financial reasons.
So much of our taxes is being mis spent on loony ideas, immigrants and being plain and wickedly wasted by politically correct moronic idiots who should be sacked.
Councils are very adept at sweeping problems under the carpet, it is great newspapers like the Daily Express who must uncover such horrendous dumps and inform the whole country.
I have reported theft to my council and they did not show any interest, the police were useless and did not give a flying frog.

May I suggest that all readers who have truthful concerns about poor standards of care be allowed a special column in our beloved Daily Express to air their own findings giving names and laces of horror for us all to see and then be forwarded on to Gordon Brown.
iI things do not improve we will only need to point our fingers in one direction, Brown.

Heaven help us who are getting old.

• Posted by: Robertz • Report Comment

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THE CONTINUAL ABUSE OF THE ELDERLY

13.10.07, 5:56pm

During my years as a carer i often encountered the cold attitude towards the elderly and infirm from all the people you would have thought you could rely on, no such luck, district nurses,GPs, hospital consultants, nurses, social services,PCTs, they were all lacking in their attitude.

My mothers confinement to bed was caused by the lack of care from district nurses, she developed a pressure sore so big that it put her into hospital for nearly six months, all because the district nurse refused to provide my mother with pressure relief equipment, it was available but it was not offered untill it was too late.

During her hospital stay not only did she have to suffer the pain of the pressure sore treatment but she was exposed to the most calous nursing anyone could imagine, she use to ask me to make sure the cable with the bell was in her hand before i left her at night, as soon as i went it would be removed from her, the nurses did that to all the patients, when people wanted to go to the toilet they went in their beds because staff would not answer anyone who still had those bells, during the daytime i often saw nurses shouting at very ill patients because they had soiled their beds, people with dementia, people who had strokes, the staff had no shame in their behaviour, they did not try to hide their behaviour to the patients, thats when i realised that for staff to behave like that it must be ok with senior nursing staff.

People who had no visitors were frightened to make a fuss or complain because as they said to me, they would be punished later on, what sort of people are we now employing in our hospitals?

I could take you now to several hospitals in London and show you some wards for the elderly that would terrify you, you would just not believe what goes on there, i would rather take my own life than to go into some hospitals, carehomes are even worse because they have even less people keeping an eye on them, i find it strange that in the same hospital you can have a very good ward and wonderful treatment in a childs ward, yet go a floor above and you move into some dickensian world of filth where the wards for the elderly are filthy and run by stalin and hitler like ward managers, no empathy, no kindness, just staff who wish they were somewhere else.

This government and Mr.Brown especially must be held responsible for all this abuse that is going on on his watch, he must put a stop to it now, no more quangoes set up to talk about how to change things, we no what to do, just get on and do it, if you dont the blood of all those poor people will be on your grubby little hands.

• Posted by: NationalCarersForum • Report Comment

NO RESECT FOR THE ELDERLY BY THE NHS

13.10.07, 2:22pm

My Mum is 86 and almost blind, she recently had an overnight stay in hospital. Despite being assured by nursing staff she would be helped to feed at mealtimes I insisted as her full time carer going in to make sure she was - if I hadn't she'd have starved.

Meals were just dumped on trays, patients asking for help were ignored, in fact my sister had to help another lady who didn't have any visitors to feed, it was a total disgrace.

The ward was fairly clean although I did wipe everything down with anti-bacterial wipes (much to the disgust of the nursing staff), patients asking for the toilet were ignored - they actually left Mum in the toilet, she ended up shouting for me and I got her out, her oral medication was missed, fortunately I gave her the eye drops she needed or they would have been missed as well. The antibiotics she was prescribed whilst in there were in liquid form but without me being there to supervise she wouldn't have taken them - the staff nurse actually said to me 'you can come again' because I basically cared for Mum on my own. One lady in another bed asked me if I was a professional carer and would I consider looking after her, another one asked me to look at her feet because the nursing staff ignored her.

It was the worst 48 hours of our lives, even her medication wasn't ready for her discharge, I had to go back 4 hours later for it. The whole experience was frightening for Mum, the NHS is a total disgrace when it comes to elderly patients, not just because of staff being overworked but their attitude towards patients in general.

My Mum and her generation fought during WWII, she was in the WAAF and this is how they are treated - the state has no respect for the elderly, they should hang their heads in shame.

YorkshireCarer

• Posted by: YorkshireCarer • Report Comment

ELDERLY AND INFIRM HELP TO STOP THIS SCANDAL !! PLEASE !!

13.10.07, 12:21pm

Mum is 76 years old and has suffered with a rare form of dementia since age 72.She has worked all her life paying national insurance-income tax-council tax etc.She is now in a private care home the fees are £1600.00 per month.Although she has been assesed as needing qualified NURSING care she still has to pay her own fees.Some of these private care homes are appalling places where we would not trust them to look after an animal-never mind our dearly loved ones! They charge extortionate fees for insufficient care simply because they CAN -safe in the knowledge that they [think ] they are the only option for long term care.

HOWEVER there is another option to long term care which is called the DIRECT PAYMENTS SCHEME which allows a person to be cared for within their own home and is funded by their local authroity.This has been described by some as the best kept secret and the social worker SHOULD [ but rarely does ] inform you of this option when assesing a person who requires care.

The private care homes should be much more strictly regulated than they are now-some of the things that happen in them would really shock people and are quite unbelieveable.

The whole system of social/nursing care for our elderly and infirm is unfair/unbalanced/woefully inadequate and requires a major rehaul starting with this simple fact

-IF AN ELDERLY or INFRIM PERSON REQUIRES NURSING CARE THEN THE NHS SHOULD PAY FOR IT-THIS IS WHAT OUR ELDERLY RELATIVES HAVE BEEN CONNED INTO PAYING OVER 60 YEARS FOR IN NATIONAL INSURANCE CONTRIBUTIONS-DO THE MATHS AND THEN ASK AGAIN WHY PEOPLE ARE SO ANGRY ABOUT THIS DEBATE-

They have already paid for their nursing care then they are charged again when they are elderly and frail-ABSOLUTE DISGRACE-And also what is needed is provision for PROPER long term care facilities with sufficient nurses and PROFFESSIONAL carers and take this OUT of the private sector,when,more often than not the profit takes priority over the person.

REMEMBER WE SHALL ALL BE OLD ONE DAY-SCARY THOUGHT-IN THIS COUNTRY ANYWAY-Another scary fact to end with.THE ELDERLY AND INFIRM HAVE NO PROTECTION UNDER THE HUMAN RIGHTS ACT IF THEY ARE RESIDENT IN A PRIVATE CARE HOME :{ Yet another scandal that is crying out to be rectified-NOW-

• Posted by: KayJay • Report Comment

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NATIONS SHAME

12.10.07, 4:41pm

81 YEAR OLD PENSIONER MARRIED 58 YEARS
LOST MY WIFE LAST YEARS ,I RECIEVED A LETTER TELLING ME THAT MY WIFES PENSION HAS NOW CEASED, I ALSO GOT A LETTER TELLING ME THAT I HAD BEEN GIVEN A RISE ON MY OWN PENSION 21P
THIS WITH THE 25P THAT I RECIEVED WHEN I REACHED THE AGE OF 80 YEARS OLD WAS THE BIGGEST INSULT I HAVE HAD IN MY WHOLE LIFE
SERVED IN THE NAVY LAST WAR, RETIRED AT THE AGE OF 72 YEARS OLD .
BECAUSE I WAS RECIEVING A WAGE AND MY PENSION I PAID AN EXTRA £35000 TAX INTO THE SYSTEM OVER THE EXTRA 7 YEARS THAT I WORKED ..IF I HAVE TO GO IN A HOME
GOD FORBID.THEY WILL TAKE MY HOUSE AND MY SAVINGS . WHAT SORT OF MORONS ARE RUNNING THIS COUNTRY????
THEY WANT BLOOD FROM A STONE
THANK YOU EXPRESS FOR FIGHTING OUR RIGHTS ,AT LEAST WE STILL HAVE HONOURABLE GENTLEMEN THAT HAVE FEELING

• Posted by: DEZG8MEC • Report Comment

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