Selling homes to pay for care
Published on 25 October 2011 11:00 AM
Responding reports in the media today that people are being forced to sell their homes to pay for care that they should be receiving for free, Graeme Francis, Age Cymru's Head of Policy and Public Affairs says:
"It is simply wrong that numbers of older people in Wales are selling their homes to pay for care which should be provided free under the NHS.
"People should not be forced to go through the courts to recover fees they have been forced to pay unnecessarily because assessments have not been conducted correctly.
"The current backlog of cases and the fact that the assessment framework used in Wales is less effective than the English one is very concerning.
"Overall the current care system we have in Wales is far too complicated and is creating an added level of stress and worry for people who are dealing with moving themselves or a loved one into care - which can be an emotionally exhausting experience in itself.
"The last thing anyone needs at a time like that is the added strain of dealing with the complexities of the current system of paying for care.
"We need a transparent, easily understood system that will clear away any misunderstanding and confusion that is causing so many people so much heartache across Wales."