Nothing done to end abuse of the elderly

THE elderly are still abused in hospitals and care homes despite Government promises to tackle the problem, experts warned yesterday.

Elderly are still being abused Elderly are still being abused

Pensioners are denied food and water or have to sit in their excrement because staff are busy.

Others are left naked or heavily sedated so they are easier to care for, a disturbing Age Concern investigation has found. Human-rights breaches also included people being evicted from care homes when they complained or separations from life-long partners because their care needs were different. 

The charity describes the lack of human rights as “an invisible issue” in health and social care and condemned ministers’ failure to act.

Just a year on from a damning parliamentary report which recommended an “entire culture change” to tackle such abuse, very little had been done, it said.

The Daily Express Respect For The Elderly crusade has called for tighter regulation of the elderly-care sector and better training at nursing homes. 

Gordon Lishman, director general of Age Concern, said: “Failing to meet basic rights is not acceptable. No one should have to go without help with eating and drinking or using the toilet, yet this is still happening every day in hospitals and care homes. 

“It’s horrendous that people are still being mistreated and abused. Human rights are not visible enough in Government policy and are even more difficult to see in practice. 

“Without a commitment from policy makers and staff to uphold people’s human rights we cannot be confident our loved ones will be treated with dignity or respect.” 

The charity is calling on the Government to embed human rights in the NHS Constitution and at the heart of its plans for reform of health and social care regulation.

Service providers must also do more to support the good work of the majority of care staff, adopt good practice and make a commitment to human rights, Age Concern said.

Norma Scott, from Yorkshire, was appalled by the way a hospital in the county treated her father when he was admitted for renal impairment and joint pains. 

“We were told he needed extra fluids for his kidneys, but he wasn’t given any help to drink water or pass fluids,” she said.

“He couldn’t use the water jug left by his bed as he couldn’t sit up. After six days I spoke to a doctor. When a drip and a catheter were fitted, two litres of urine were drained off. He died of renal failure.

Failing to meet basic rights is not acceptable

Gordon Lishman, director general of Age Concern

“My father should not have been treated this way. It took months to get my complaint heard and I have been battling for many more months to get the hospital to implement the action plan. No one checks change has happened – it’s all taken on trust.”

The Department of Health said: “We are doing everything in our power to protect vulnerable older people and ensure they are treated with dignity and respect in all care settings. No one, especially not elderly people, should have to put up with abuse or ill treatment.”

Would you like to receive news notifications from Daily Express?