Age old problem

In the past, elderly people were cared for on hospital geriatric wards. These wards were all closed, with no proper provisions made for alternative care, other than in the fast growing private sector - at a price.

The hospital situation now is even worse, as patients are discharged earlier and earlier. Assessments are made to decide what future care is needed out of necessity, but not in the hospitals.

Therefore, the elderly person has to pay for care if they have the means, whether they want to or not. If they have no money it has to come out of the public purse.

Health Secretary Frank Dobson suggests free long-term care for old people would cost £1.6 billion. This amount is surely underestimated because a decreasing number of taxpayers has to support an increasing elderly population.

The proposal that residents in homes pay for care, but not nursing, would be difficult to implement because of the problems over assessment.

What for example would be classed as nursing? The government to begin with could put a ceiling on the prices charged in homes. Compulsory insurance during everyone's lifetime for old age sounds fine, but isn't that what we thought paying National Insurance was?

The elderly shouldn't be harassed and upset after working a lifetime and paying taxes and mortgages, by having all their savings, or their house taken away to pay for their care - just because they are old.

Those who have not worked or saved, perhaps through no fault of their own, cannot pay if they have nothing.

The fairest way is free care of everyone, but as this isn't likely a minimum or maximum rate could be taken from the old age pension only.

No easy solutions.

Perhaps it will go full circle, and hospitals will be built in the future solely with wards for the elderly.

KATHLEEN BULCOCK (MRS), Wilkie Avenue, Burnley.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.