Neighbourhood Watch Groups Could Provide Care for Elderly? (Telegraph / BBC News)

Summary

Care and Support Minister Norman Lamb has spoken about Britain’s attitude to the elderly being “uncivilised” and called for the public to acknowledge that lonely and vulnerable pensioners living locally may be in need of help.

Norman Lamb would like to encourage neighbourhood watch groups to apply for “care status”. It has been suggested that these neighbourhood watch groups might then be empowered to help with basic domiciliary care – such as helping to wash and feed pensioners – in addition to simply providing companionship and keeping-out a watchful eye.

The Liberal Democrat minister hopes that these plans, which have been welcomed by some Neighbourhood Watch leaders, might help the elderly to lead happy and relatively independent lives at home for longer, and to reduce the number of pensioners forced to move into expensive care homes prematurely.

Read more: Neighbourhood watch groups should provide care to miserable and lonely pensioners, says health minister. Telegraph (Online), July 14th 2013.

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Reference

Neighbourhood Watch groups could help with elderly care. London: BBC News, July 15^th 2013.

[A brief reference to this item features in Dementia and Elderly Care: the Latest Evidence Newsletter (RWNHST), Volume 3 Issue 9, August 2013].