Marie Curie End Of Life Service Under Threat, UK

Main Category: Seniors / Aging
Also Included In: Cancer / Oncology;  Caregivers / Homecare
Article Date: 27 Feb 2008 - 4:00 PDT

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End-of-life strategy must ensure dignity in final period of life

Plans to help more terminally ill people die at home under a pioneering nursing scheme are at risk due to a lack of funding. Marie Curie Cancer Care says £2m more a year would allow it to extend a scheme which has more than doubled the number spending their last days at home.

Paul Cann, Director of Policy and External Relations at Help the Aged said:

'Help the Aged believe that wherever you die, you should be able to do so with dignity.

'We have long campaigned for older people to be allowed to make informed choices about their own end-of-life care, and location of death is central to this.

'The Government's forthcoming end-of-life strategy must ensure that the final period of life, wherever it is spent, is not marred by poor support and a lack of dignity.

'Although everyone in the UK is entitled to to free palliative care at home, services across the UK are patchy at best.

'Marie Curie have achieved a great deal in bridging this gap - and the actual location of death is increasingly shifting from hospitals and care homes to people's own homes, providing greater dignity and choice.

'A dignified, comfortable death - with with the very best care available, must become the rule, not the exception.

'The Government must make this a top priority for our society.'

Notes

Right care, Right deal' is the new national campaign launched to build public awareness and support for the need for brave and innovative solutions for the social care system. With the Government indicating that social care is an urgent political priority, and in advance of the expected green paper later in 2008, the campaign combines three of the UK's largest charities working with and for older people and their families and carers, and will urge the government to renew its vision for the future of social care in England. Visit http://www.rightcare.org.uk

Help the Aged is the charity fighting to free disadvantaged older people in the UK and overseas from poverty, isolation, neglect and ageism. It campaigns to raise public awareness of the issues affecting older people and to bring about policy change. The Charity delivers a range of services: information and advice, home support and community living, including international development work. These are supported by its paid-for services and fundraising activities - which aim to increase funding in the future to respond to the growing unmet needs of disadvantaged older people. Help the Aged also funds vital research into the health issues and experiences of older people to improve the quality of later life.

Help the Aged urgently needs donations and support to help it in the increasingly challenging fight to free disadvantaged older people from poverty, isolation and neglect. Visit http://www.helptheaged.org.uk

Help the Aged