Health & Social Services
Good health, the most important is being denied to many of our most important citizens. Older people are treated shamefully in our society. Most of the people in this category have contributed generously to the well-being of our country and yet when they reach a time when they can’t manage to look after themselves the state, which has gladly taken taxes for all their lives means tests them before providing them with sheltered accommodation. In many cases, if they have assets over a certain amount, more than £22500.00, the state makes them either sell the assets or use excess cash to pay for the care they need. Needless to say people who have no savings or have lived rented accommodation all their lives get everything for nothing.
Many old people are already confused before they arrive in this state and many of them cannot understand why they should have to pay for care when they have been paying into the NHS all their lives.
Further ignominy is heaped on this unfortunate band of people. Once they are in care they have their pensions confiscated and are then given “spending money” back to by essentials like toiletries, papers and clothes. The amount they are given totals an amazing £21.20 per week. This will rise by 75p in 2009.
The government say they can’t afford to pay for the type of care required; they could easily afford to pay, bring the troops home from Iraq and Afghanistan and everywhere else. That alone would more than provide the care that older people need and deserve.
Under the NDP policy, no person over the age of 65 will have to pay for care if they need to go into a home. Furthermore, all homes licenced to provide the service required will have to comply with rigorously enforced policies in respect of health, food and services.
Looking after elderly people can be very difficult, we are all living much longer and this means more and more people are becoming susceptible to illnesses like dementia. These illnesses bring heartache to the family members who have to support a loved one who has contracted this hideous illness. There are drugs, which can help the sufferers and thereby help their supporters. But this government will not supply the drugs, even though some of the drugs, which will help alleviate the suffering cost pennies. Apparently they are not cost effective!
Many of the indignities suffered by elderly people could so easily be solved. Blair made very few promises before he came to power in 1997, however one he did make that he would get rid of mixed wards within “days of taking power”. More than 11 years later, we still have elderly people being admitted to hospital and being place in mixed wards. Having experienced this situation with both my mother and mother-in-law, I can vouch for the indignity they both suffered.
My mother had to put up with an old man, who was completely confused, frequently exposing himself. We brought this to the attention of the nursing staff who basically said there was nothing that could be done. On the basis of cost, mixed wards were hospital policy.
The NDP would outlaw mixed wards in the first week of taking power. We would also ensure that when hospital staff leave food on bedside tables for the elderly, the food is in reach and if the food is packaged, i.e. sandwiches, the package can be easily opened.
The NDP would consider appointing a cabinet minister whose brief would be just to look after our senior citizens.
The NDP is committed to re-establishing the family concept. Part of this commitment will involve families taking more responsibility for their parents. In most other countries in the world the family is sacrosanct and grandparents are very much part of the overall family.
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