Are the elderly neglected? There have been warnings that cutbacks have led to the elderly being neglected to the point of becoming extremely ill. New figures have shown that the number of care home residents being rushed to hospital has risen by 63 percent in just four years.
You can read more at The Telegraph.
Many charities have said the statistics show the impact that cuts to care have had on our elderly. They strongly argue that the frail are at risk of becoming so poorly that many have to be rushed to A&E.
The statistics reveal there were 22,682 emergency admissions from care home residents in 2014/15, up from 13,906 in 2010/11.
The big question; ‘are the elderly neglected?’ is a concerning one – especially when the winter months are already enough of a risk to their health.
Winter’s toll on the elderly
Each year it can be expected that winter deaths in the elderly will be higher than the rest of the year. This is due to respiratory diseases and flues being passed around, circulatory diseases such as heart problems, and dementia. However there have been other possible causes of fatality which may lead us to ask – are the elderly neglected?
These contributing factors to winter deaths are; cold or damp homes, loneliness, and lack of basic care. Experts suggest that many frail patients could have been kept out of hospital if there was social care providing for their basic needs to prevent illness.
Often the elderly seek care from hospitals as they aren’t receiving it from their residential care homes.
“The situation is even worse for nursing homes which care for more frail patients, with 55 per cent deemed inadequate or requiring improvement.” – The Telegraph
Many care homes have been found to be failing their residents as they are often short staffed and don’t always get medical help in time. Latest figures show one in three care homes inspected by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) is failing to meet basic standards.
NHS services struggle to cope
With healthcare often unavailable in care homes, it becomes increasingly common for elderly people to end up in hospital with more serious illnesses that could have been prevented if caught earlier and treated. For the NHS, this is a huge strain on resources that frankly just aren’t available.
So are the elderly neglected? Yes, due to lack of social care and good quality care homes available to the elderly, there is more risk the elderly could develop serious illness. There are also issues that family members may be neglecting to be there as company for their elderly relatives.
Going back to basic care is how to prevent illness that could lead to death in our elderly. To do this for a loved one you should ensure they are living in healthy conditions; a warm home, frequent socialisation, good healthy meals, and help with day to day task if they need it such as getting washed and dressed.
