Star comment: Crisis over care for ageing population
Issues surrounding private care in the UK are deeply problematic. Successive Governments have failed to get to grips with the issue of an ageing population.
While the retirement age has risen, too little provision has been made to look after those in ageing years and declining health.
The nation is suffering a crisis of loneliness and unspoken poverty as the elderly are unable to turn on the heating, feed themselves properly or look after themselves. In an increasingly splintered society, they have too few people to look after them and many suffer in silence.
In hundreds of thousands of households family act as unpaid carers, soaking up colossal costs. Many provide care in desperate and intolerable circumstances, with no access to private transport and very limited ability to use public transport. Those who care seldom receive any respite.
Carers UK has called for a “step change in the way that Government and society supports and recognises carers”.
Unpaid carers are convenient for a cash-strapped state, but too many are not given either the practical or financial help they need. The charity also says employers can look at supporting employees who are juggling work and care, and society can help by ensuring family and friends are alerted to information, advice and support “which might make all the difference to someone we care about who is providing unpaid care”.
And it is also up to all of us as kind neighbours to do our bit to help those that we know are in need or are struggling.
The cash-strapped state is doing less and less and regular citizens are being expected to do more and more.
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Prince Harry needs to be careful about his actions and how they are perceived. He has been criticised for not turning up to court, apparently because he wanted to celebrate his daughter’s birthday.
While that is understandable, it is not an option that would be open to the rest of the population, were they to be summoned by a judge.
Likewise, while the Duke of Sussex may have a very legitimate grievance over his treatment by some elements of the press, he must also beware of double standards.
After all, he has just written a book, been on a Netflix show and taken part in countless media interviews in which he reveals very personal and private information of others and makes allegations that could be seen as litigious – all in return for many millions of pounds in payment.
He is in danger of being guilty of the very allegations he has put against the tabloid press.
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