Government urged to review cheap elderly home care

The head of Scottish Care, Ranald Mair, has expressed concerns over the state of elderly home care in Scotland, stating that the 15 minute home visits are not substantial for the needs of elderly residents. The government has stated that it is committed to providing quality care, while Mair insists more could be done to ensure Scottish elderly residents are able to continue to maintain their independence in their own home.

In conjunction with such aids as walk in baths and showers and internal homelifts home care can help elderly people live a more independent and fulfilled lifestyle, which makes the lack of resources for such services all the more distressing. Scottish Care chief executive Mair has said that the 15 minute home visits that are standard practice at the moment result in “our elderly are being deprived of their dignity while unfair pressure is being put on staff,” as reported in this BBC article.

A good job with limited funds

While it is stressed that the care staff in Scotland are offering quality care and doing a superb job, the limited funds that only allow for 15 minute slots for home visits aren’t enough according to Mair. As the number of people over the age of 75 is expected to rise by 86 per cent in the next 25 years, the state of elderly care is a high profile topic that is under consideration by numerous health bodies.

The government has reiterated that the care of elderly people in Scotland and England is an important issue, with a government spokeswoman stating that, “Older people in Scotland deserve the best possible care, whether in a care home or in the community,” and "The government wants to ensure that all older people receive quality and compassionate care that protects their dignity”.

With the number of older people in the country looking to increase dramatically in the coming years, the use of mobility aids and rise and recliner chairs working in conjunction with home care to help elderly people remain in their own homes is set to become even more valued.

Image Credit: David Precious (flickr.com)

This content was written by Emily Bray. Please feel free to visit my Google+ Profile to read more stories.