CARERS RIGHTS DAY: WHEN WILL CARE REACH THE TOP OF THE GOVERNMENT’S AGENDA?

DR ROS ALTMANN

DIRECTOR-GENERAL, SAGA

QUOTES

December 1, 2011.

CARERS RIGHTS DAY: WHEN WILL CARE REACH THE TOP OF THE GOVERNMENT’S AGENDA?

Commenting ahead of Carers Rights Day on December 2, Dr Ros Altmann, Director-General of over-50s organisation Saga, said:

“Unless something passed me by, I don’t recall seeing or hearing anything in the Autumn Statement that would give clear and direct support for carers – and don’t forget carers are a group of people who provide a service and support that would otherwise cost the government, and the taxpayer, £80 billion a year.

“Some acknowledgment would be nice, some hope would have been inspirational, but some funding would have been better. The theme for Carers Rights Day 2011 is ‘Money Matters’ – and it does.

“The government appears to be working its way through the issues, youth unemployment, pensions and so on, so maybe carers are on the list for imminent attention – but one can’t help but think there’s a pervading degree of complacency amongst the directly-unaffected, because carers actually just get on with things with little or no fuss and few demands.

“In fact, so short have we been on action or news with regard to addressing the issue of care funding and support overall – with a yawning silence on matters relating to the recommendations of Andrew Dilnot for instance – that we have decided to shake things up ourselves by running a second thought leadership seminar before Christmas.

“There is a core group of us who are determined to make care a top-of-the-agenda item, and we will push and shove until it is.

“But in the current economic circumstances, a key and ironic point is that if the government did apply itself to a proper look at addressing the care crisis, then it would have a significant and positive impact on budget issues: sort out social care, give carers the support they need, free up NHS hospital beds, unburden healthcare professionals, create time – and save money.”

Ends

For further information:

Saga Press Office
01303 771529.

www.saga.co.uk

Iain Macauley
im@pressrelations.co.uk
07788 978800

SAGA: WHO CARES MOST FOR OLDIES - OVER-50S OR UNDER-21S?

EMMA SOAMES

SAGA

PRESS RELEASE

April 18, 2011.

WHO CARES MOST FOR OLDIES – OVER-50S OR UNDER-21S?

A confusing picture has emerged over who cares more for the older generations – over-50s or under-21s.

The confusion arises from Aviva’s latest Real Retirement Report which states under-21s would put more cash into caring for elderly relatives – if they could afford it – but over-50s organisation Saga says that most familial carers are women over 50 who will find a way of paying.

“It’s a little bit apples and bananas, but while Aviva says under-21s would give up a greater proportion of their income to finance their older relatives, our research says something very different,” said Emma Soames, Editor-at-Large of Saga Magazine.  

"The Aviva report suggests that older people are happy to pass off the burden of supporting their elderly relatives, and that the young are the real philanthropic generation.  

“But, in stark contrast, our experience shows that most familial carers are women over the age of 50.  So whilst they are realistic about not being able to support their elderly relatives financially, they dig deep on both their physical and emotional reserves to provide the one-to-one care the most vulnerable in our society really need.

“The report, however, does highlight the potential for families to 'club' together to save for future care needs for the family as a whole, a point that Saga raised in its submission of evidence to the Dilnot Commission on Care Funding.

“This makes it clear that clubbing together, or wider incentives to encourage saving for care, should be a key strand in any recommendations arising from Dilnot.”

  
Ends

Further information:

Iain Macauley

07788 978800

im@pressrelations.co.uk

www.saga.co.uk

ACTIVE AT 60 FUNDING – SMALL BUT POTENTIALLY EFFECTIVE LIFE-CHANGER.

DR ROS ALTMANN

DIRECTOR GENERAL, SAGA

PRESS RELEASE

November 25, 2010.

ACTIVE AT 60 FUNDING – SMALL BUT POTENTIALLY EFFECTIVE LIFE-CHANGER.

Community groups in 30 areas across the country are being invited to bid for a share of £1 million to help older people keep active and make the most of their later lives.

The Government is providing the cash to fund Active at 60, a project that will help older people who are at-risk of loneliness and social isolation.

Dr Ros Altmann, Director General of Saga, said: “We’re sensing a growing momentum and recognition – at long last – of the important part the older generations can play in the community, but also how important it is to provide them with the opportunity to get up and go,” said Dr Ros Altmann, Director General of Saga.

“This is a relatively small fund, but could be massively effective and should be welcomed as a significant potential life-changer. Many people approaching 60 could be as little as two-thirds of the way through their lives, and have a great deal to give – but also need a great deal too.

“Recent research says that because of the increase in incidences of family breakdown, the older generations have fewer close relatives to support and inspire them.

“But a key consideration here is that while this budget is relatively small, it could have a much wider impact – the more active and healthy older people are, the less likely they are to have to rely upon the state for social and health care.”

Ends

Further information:

Iain Macauley

im@pressrelations.co.uk

07788 978800

www.saga.co.uk

ROS ALTMANN: WE’RE HEADING FOR A CARE CRISIS TO OUTSTRIP THE PENSIONS CRISIS.

ROS ALTMANN

DIRECTOR GENERAL, SAGA

SAGA RESPITE FOR CARERS TRUST

PRESS RELEASE

November 8, 2010.

ROS ALTMANN: WE’RE HEADING FOR A CARE CRISIS TO OUTSTRIP THE PENSIONS CRISIS.

Ros Altmann, who warned the last government of an impending pensions crisis, says that care could escalate to become a bigger financial crisis than pensions unless the current government gets an iron grip on care funding.

Dr Altmann, Director General of Saga, and a director of the Saga Respite for Carers Trust, warned: “The care issue is a time bomb. We can hear it ticking, and there is a clear strand of inevitability: it is not going to go away, it is going to get bigger – every statistic says that.

“There seems to be a great deal going on relating to care, but nothing actually happening. Every care- and age-related charity or support group and now the media itself – in the form of the BBC, no less – is acutely aware and extremely active in highlighting the current plight and future dangers associated with a growing elderly population,” said Ros Altmann.

“The people most affected, and their carers, are literally running out of time. There needs to be a decisive change in how care is provided and paid for. There is a complete lack of joined-up thinking between NHS and local government-provided care, with the problem being passed from one authority to another.

“The government’s political horizon is a great deal closer than the care horizon. Those in government allegedly tackling the care issue should be starting to think like statesmen rather than politicians, and look beyond that political horizon.

“Saga is in a unique position of being expert in both financial- and care-related issues. We can see this problem looming; other care and age issue experts can see it, but I fear the government can’t see it. Because it’s not visible or relevant to the majority of people, there seems to be no sense of urgency.

“We saw precisely that with the pensions crisis and the lending crisis; things were allowed to escalate unchecked, and cost billions of pounds to sort out when a much smaller investment at the outset would have prevented what became a massive problem.

“But we must not lose sight of the victims of the care shortfall. That around 80% of local authorities surveyed by the BBC say they are changing how much they spend on care is not just provoking uncertainty amongst the elderly and their carers, but potentially a postcode lottery too. What if, for example, of two neighbouring local authorities one declares it is cutting care spending and the other increasing it? There’s potentially a cross-boundary stampede which will make a complex situation even more complicated.

“The impact could be vast – it must be sorted out, and the next financial time bomb defused before it’s too late for the elderly and infirm, their carers – and the British economy.”

Ends

Further information:

Iain Macauley

im@pressrelations.co.uk

07788 978800

www.saga.co.uk

ROS ALTMANN

DIRECTOR GENERAL

SAGA

PRESS RELEASE

November 1, 2010.

LOCAL AUTHORITY HOME CARE CUT FEARS: COMMENT FROM ROS ALTMANN, DIRECTOR GENERAL, SAGA.

Councils in England and Wales could be forced to end home help for elderly and disabled people, the Local Government Association has said.

The LGA, which represents 422 authorities, has told MPs that budget cuts may result in services being restricted to only those with critical needs.

Ros Altmann, Director General of Saga, said: “This warrants an immediate and categorical response from the government. There is nothing worse than uncertainty, and thousands of elderly people and their families, have, in an instant, suddenly been told by representatives of frontline care providers – the LGA - that the system will not be able to cope, and that in some parts of the country home help will simply stop.

“But that uncertainty has been compounded: the government is saying the opposite – that there will be more money available for social care.

“There needs to be absolute clarification, and that clarification needs to be delivered – alongside assurances to the elderly and their families – that they will not be deserted.”

Ends

Further information:

Iain Macauley

im@pressrelations.co.uk

07788 978800

www.saga.co.uk

DEMENTIA ACTION ALLIANCE: COMMENT FROM ROS ALTMANN, SAGA.

ROS ALTMANN

DIRECTOR GENERAL


SAGA


PRESS RELEASE


October 27, 2010.

DEMENTIA ACTION ALLIANCE: COMMENT FROM ROS ALTMANN, SAGA.

Ros Altmann, Director General of Saga, the lifestyle organisation for over-50s, says the newly Dementia Action Alliance - charities, royal colleges, public and private companies pledging to transform the quality of life for people living with dementia – is a massive boost to the dementia consequence awareness cause.


Dr Altmann says that dementia issues are finally taking up their place on the social care agenda, and the momentum a potentially big-hitting alliance can provide is key.


“Dementia care, and, more importantly, dementia consequence awareness, is finally establishing traction. It may already seem to be a cause making progress, but for far too long it has been a cause hobbled by ignorance. Now is not the time to sit back and consider the job to have been well done, the fact is that we are a long, long way off establishing a full appreciation of just how debilitating the condition is, not just to people with dementia but for their carers, and, as life expectancy increases, the UK’s economy,” said Ros Altmann.


“Any initiative that has the potential to drive dementia consequence awareness, and hence force the government’s hand on dementia care, is a massively welcome addition to the movement to gain social justice for all those affected.

“The Dementia Action Alliance has the full support of Saga, and we will bring to bear whatever influence and support we can muster. It is a tremendous initiative.”


Ends


Further information:


Iain Macauley


im@pressrelations.co.uk


07788 978800


www.saga.co.uk

£5 million dementia care home opens in Southport

http://www.southportvisiter.co.uk/southport-news/southport-southport-news/2010/07/02/a-5m-dementia-care-home-is-set-to-open-in-southport-101022-26768006/