Commenting on
the report of the Commission on Funding of Care and Support
(the Dilnot report), Dr Peter Connelly, chair of the Royal College
of Psychiatrists’ Faculty of the Psychiatry of Old Age, said:
"We greatly welcome this report. Older people
with mental illness, especially dementia, are at much greater risk
of being admitted to a care home, especially if they live alone. We
encourage the government to accept the report’s findings and reduce
the financial burden borne particularly by people with dementia and
their families.
"We are aware that much still needs to be done
to reduce the chance of admission by genuinely improving community
services to allow older people with mental illness to remain at
home, without undue risk.
“At a time when many local authorities are
under great financial pressure, we recognise the difficulties of
increasing their contribution to care. But we hope that the Dilnot
report acts as a stimulus to create high-quality services for a
very vulnerable group."
For further information, please
contact:
Liz Leicester
or Deborah Hart in the Communications
Department.
Telephone: 020 7235 2351 Extensions. 6298 or 6127
References:
The Commission on Funding of Care and Support presented its findings to the Government in its report Fairer Care Funding, published on 4th July 2011: www.dilnotcommission.dh.gov.uk