Many pensioners set to lose their home care facilities

According to a recent report many pensioners in the UK are set to lose their home care facilities such as meals on wheels and help with shopping, washing, and household chores, and this is as a result of government cutbacks.

It is thought that the changes could take place as early as next year, and this will leave only the most sick and disabled pensioners with access to proper home care, with others losing out on these facilities, which many have become reliant on.

The report claims that a rise in demand and a cut in budgets has meant that social services has had to make cutbacks in this area, and with the government ploughing so much money into the financial sector it is claimed that the easiest way to make cutbacks in other areas was to target costs in sectors such as this.

Some have estimated that around two hundred thousand pensioners could miss out on this care because of these cutbacks in the sector and it is likely that being unable to get this care will result in a greater number of older people needing to move into care homes because they are unable to cope along at home without the assistance that they have come to rely on.

An official from Age Concern and Help the Aged was very concerned over the cutbacks, and he stated: ‘Getting support around the home is vital for many older people in terms of retaining independence and dignity. As our society ages and the need for care and support grows, policy makers must wake up to the fact that cutting budgets and withdrawing support from those who need it most is a national disgrace.’