A SURVEY by Age Concern has recently identified the worries of elderly people over their treatment, which is important for West Devon as the number of people over 65 is growing quickly. The survey revealed eight out of ten people are 'very concerned' about the care they will be given when they get old. It also showed that, despite the Government's Dignity in Care campaign, which aimed to 'eliminate tolerance of indignity in health and social care services', 40% of people are not confident they will be treated with dignity or respect when they need assistance. Polling carried out for Age Concern found that people of all ages and incomes are deeply concerned about the quality of the personal care they would get if they need help with everyday tasks like getting out of bed, washing, dressing or taking medication. The charity described the findings as further evidence of how the care system is routinely failing older people and their families. The poll shows that worries about the quality of personal care increase with age. Seven out of ten young adults (18-34 year olds) are very concerned about the quality of personal care that a loved one or they themselves would get. This rises to nine out of ten people aged 75 or older, by which time they are more likely to need some help or to know people who do. Adam Symons, Liberal Democrat parliamentary spokesperson for West Devon and Torridge, said: 'This government has presided over a shocking collapse in services for the elderly. Ministers have responded to the warnings of a looming crisis with criminal under-funding. 'Councils simply aren't able to provide social services fairly under the current system of funding. The Government should stop dithering and start fundamental reform now.' Age Concern is launching a major new campaign — 'The Big Q' — challenging all the party leaders to match their rhetoric with a commitment to radical reform to improve the quality of care, ahead of a public consultation the Government is planning to hold later this year.
