Quote:
Originally Posted by jennyjuniper
Many years ago I worked as a cook in a care home for the elderly and they were being ripped off then!! This was in the 1980's and they were paying 250 pounds a week, which was a lot of money then. They received very basic care and the food budget that I had to work with was ridiculous. The butcher delivered the weekly meat order every Monday and the owner of the home took half for herself, husband and two children. With the other half I had to feed 14 residents and two staff.
It's nothing new, this ripping off and abuse of the elderly and it's time it stopped. Local councils and private companies try to run their 'care' facilities as cheaply as possible and sometimes this results in people being hired who are not suitable for the job, or lack of care and sustenance or both.
However after saying all that, the responsibility of our elderly lies with us. Our parents took care of us when we needed it and it's up to us to care for them when they can no longer do it for themselves.
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Although I agree with your sentiments to some extent, in reality it simply isn't practical. Most of the responsibility would fall on women, which isn't fair, but from experience this usually happens. I am currently in this situation and cannot afford to just give up my job and my relative needs 24-hour care.
Also my relative felt strongly that they did not want to burden their family with caring for them - that is not the reason why they had children and I agree with that as I would not want to burden my family either. People choose to have children and usually do so for unselfish reasons. Most do not expect or want their family to become their carers as 'thanks' for having them.
I do not agree with trying to guilt-trip people. Not to mention this is what the government wants, to pass the responsibility onto families to take it away from themselves and saving money for them.