Older people getting 'poor deal from care homes'

Wednesday, 17 October 2007 12:00 AM

Older people in Britain are paying up to £30,000 a year for a room in a care home and often do not know what they are paying for, according to a new study.

A damning report from the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) - entitled A fair contract with older people? - reveals care homes are improving information to prospective residents, but fees for places in the same homes can vary by between as much as £650 and £1,500 - without explanation.

The report also reveals care home residents paying their own fees are often subsidising those people whose places are paid for by the council - as councils can negotiate lower fees.

"The evidence from our inspections and research with over 1,700 older people and their carers shows that many do not receive a fair deal," said CSCI chair Dame Denise Platt.

"Some people looking for a care home place are left confused about what they will be asked to pay, and what they will get for their money."

Care home contracts in particular were deemed to be unclear - with one respondent to the survey saying, "They are easy to read if you are a lawyer" - and use of top-up fees also came under fire.

The CSCI report calls for care homes use a standard form of contract written in plain English with detailed information about fees upfront.

CSCI chief inspector Paul Snell said: "It is vital that older people and their relatives and friends have high quality advice and guidance to help them choose the best solutions for them.

"In some cases, people may not need to go into a care home at all. Councils need to commission a broad range of services to meet individual needs and preferences."

The findings of the report have been welcomed by Help the Aged.

"This hard-hitting report exposes once again just how far short of funds
the social care sector is," said Paul Cann, director of policy at Help the Aged.

"Those that suffer most from this are older people themselves, who often find themselves in unsuitable care home settings where dignity can be compromised."

He added: "What should shock us all into action is the fact that so many older people and their families find it so difficult to get simple information about what their money will pay for."

Mr Cann called for helpful and simple advice to help guide older people to find a care home.

National charity Counsel and Care said it was essential a care home meets a person's needs.

"Many older people have to make the decision whether to move into a care home at a time in their lives when they are ill or under great stress," said Stephen Burke, chief executive of Counsel and Care.

"It is vital, therefore, that they receive appropriate support in order to ensure that their choice of care home is one that is suitable to meet all their assessed needs.

"All too often, without the specific details they require to make an informed decision, potential residents, and their families and carers, are forced to make a choice of care home 'in the dark', based on incomplete information."

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