Care minister David Mowat has told MPs that tackling the crisis in social care requires people to take responsibility for looking after their elderly parents.
Mowat told the Commons select committee on communities and local government that people have as much of a duty to look after their elderly parents as they to do care for their own children. Writing for the Social Care Network in response to Mowat’s comments, Kirsty Woodard wondered what will happen to the 1 million people aged over 65 who do not have adult children, adding that the minister had also overlooked the fact that 92% of all informal care is already provided by the family.
What do our readers think? Here is a roundup of a selection of comments on the subject.
‘The UK has no form of national insurance? What have I been paying into all my working life?’
‘There are advantages, such as lessening social isolation’
Saying that people should help care for their parents is not the same as ignoring those elderly people who don't have children.
I don't think encouraging multi generational families to look out for reach other is a bad idea (I actually think the idea of, say grandma, moving into a spare room in her children's house is a bad idea). There are advantages to all - first; lessen social isolation (and the health and financial costs associated with this for the pensioner), provide childcare benefits for the parents (if there is a child in the house!), and being looked after by your grandparents every now ant then isn't bad for children!
That being said I think it is very important to realise that for elderly people with medical needs this would be woefully insufficient. I also can't really see how you could make it a coherent policy - perhaps its more something that we should look at as a society.
There are real issues of social isolation amongst retired people (which ahs horrible health ramifications) and this may help tackle some of this - I would however worry if this was the government's complete idea!
‘What the child-free can do is expect that we are first in the queue for social care’
The childfree by choice (who include me) can not realy complain about the obvious results of that.
What we can do though is expect that we are first in the queue for social care. That's what we paid for (without have being fed the welfare parents get to build their families).
There is the one obvious solution the childfree never suggest. That they support each other through the generations.
I make an effort with the childfree older parents with my family and also round me. I will do their elderly care. Not a problem.
My social group is entirely childfree - I don't support parents - and I am happy to support them to as we all age.
‘I simply can’t afford to live near my parents’
I live miles away from my family as we had 'to get on our bikes' to find work. I simply can't afford to live anywhere near my parents and they certainly don't want to move away from their friends.
‘The fact that 92% of all informal care is already provided by family seems to pass them by’
The idea that older people may not have family members who are able to help, or may have no family at all, seems not to have occurred to the government. The fact that 92% of all informal care is already provided by the family also seems to pass them by.
What about future generations who due to the ballooning of the gig economy will be just about to afford to keep themselves going never mind their parents. The government seems to have no idea what is going on under its nose. Whilst they are taking more and more money away from people and handing it back to businesses there is nothing left. We don’t all come from the pampered lifestyle that the tory MP who spouts this crap out does. The majority of us won’t inherit the family house through some fancy tax dodge that grandadpops set up years ago.
‘Being a carer has affected my health and my finances’
Exactly. Have multiple recommends.
I've been a carer for far too long. It's affected my health and my finances: and my wife's health to the extent that I now also care for her.
We both work, and cannot afford to retire.
Fortunately my mother, who is 80, can manage for now without too much help: she's also very clear that she doesn't want me caring for her (there is no other family).
My own kids are in their 30s. One has severe autism and requires care, the other has mental health problems and other physical issues that affect his ability to carry out tasks: so how are they expected to care, Mr. Mowat?
‘This has a long history – under the poor law you could be fined’
‘“Traditional values” don’t and can’t apply’
The minister’s care ideas ignore the fact that many dependent elderly living into their 90s will have children who are themselves elderly and not best placed to care for someone with health and social care needs requiring specialist, trained carers. The demographics of western societies are unique. No society on earth past or present has had to care for such a large number of dependent elderly – ‘traditional values’ (in the main a euphemism for women shouldering the burden) don’t and can’t apply, because such a large population of dependent elderly is NOT traditional ... and thus requires a new, innovative and costly solution.
- John-Paul King, on Facebook
‘We’re still waiting for the 6 months overdue national carers strategy’
Actually, the Care Minister ignores the 6.5 million carers already working their guts out. And carers are his responsibility, let's not forget. He also ignores the Care Act 2014, which he is responsible for upholding.
We're still waiting for the 6 months overdue National Carers Strategy.
Carers are not getting assessments they're entitled to or anything like the support they should receive.
And he bleats on about duty: a word he clearly doesn't understand.
‘Who will do this for me when I need help?’
‘My childless friends and I plan to live together in a commune’
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Mowatt said the UK has no form of national Insurance - what have I been paying into all my working life? Apropos no children - there is also the problem that families no longer live on the same street or even in the same country. We all want to be self supporting as long as possible - but a time comes for most people when help is critical. I know from experience how vital it is for anyone ill or frail to have someone accessible to support with forms, claims etc and when necessary to take the Authorities on forcefully on their behalf. If you are ill, it is easier just to give in and fall on the scrap heap.