This is an extract of an
observation I recently made to a Older People Strategic
Review of which I am a member of the Working Group.
Dear Colleagues of the Older People Review,
You will recall at a recent meeting of the Working Group I
asked Supporting People the specific question of: "What
other services do they propose to offer? ".
Their response was; 'They hoped to identify and fill the
gaps ' !
In my opinion this is an absolute nonsense and, it appears,
that we are discussing a subject for which there is no plan
.
I hazard: There are many organisations out there doing good
works amongst the elderly. To name a few:
The state. (Especially the NHS)
Age Concern.
Help the Aged.
Day care centres
Military Organisations, such as British
Legion, RNA, SSAFA, RAFA, RAFBF and others.
The church(s).
Mencap
Depression Alliance
Salvation Army.
Citizens Advice Bureau.
Numerous charities (Question Google
about charities and care organisations for the elderly
in the Uk turns up 94,100 sites. Many will be
duplicated by Google, some will be abroad, but even if
there is only one in a thousand actually applicable we
have 94 and halve, yet again, for good measure , its
still nearly 50. Yet I have been brutal in paring down
the figures . But, we can say , "there must be enough"
!
Previous employment Associations.
EAC.
respite care.
Alzheimer's society
Macmillian nurses .
Shelter.
Bequests
British Heart Foundation
Arthritis care
Some of the above charities are already
duplicating each other's efforts in the field of the
elderly.
The above list is, by no means, exhaustive !
To my mind there are very few (if any) gaps in care for the
elderly, although what is on offer may not always be taken
up by the elderly, or they may be simply
unaware of them.
The likely outcome of diversification by Supporting People
into extended elderly care is that territory will be
progressively usurped from existing services.
The ensuing result will be that, rather than save money, a
whole new tier of administration and outreach workers will
have to be created to manage these new services.
Albeit unintentionally the state, through Supporting
People, will have captured for itself hitherto free
services and have converted them into 'state supported
services' and thereafter hampered
with having to maintain them for ever at ever increasing
cost !
Unless there is a clear cut agenda and pre-targetted and
researched use for extra money. Then, Supporting People
would be ill-advised to seek out random projects
to subscribe to. This could be a dangerous and potentially
costly 'tinkering' by Supporting People !