Care at home breaching human rights

Older people’s basic human rights are being overlooked in the provision of care at home, according to the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

Interim findings from the Commission’s  major inquiry into home care, reveal significant shortcomings in the way older people are cared for.   These include:

·        People left in bed for 17 hours or more between care visits

·        Failure to wash people regularly and provide them with the support they need to eat and drink

·        Individuals left in soiled beds and clothes for long periods

·        A high staff turnover, resulting in some people having a huge number of different carers performing intimate tasks such as washing and dressing.  In one case a woman recorded receiving 32 different carers over a two week period.

The findings are early results from the Commission’s inquiry into the protection and promotion of human rights of older people in England, who require or receive home based care and support.  It will report fully by the end of 2011. 

Read more