House Of Lords Judgment Fails Vulnerable Older People, Says Help The Aged, UK

Main Category: Seniors / Aging
Also Included In: Caregivers / Homecare
Article Date: 23 Jun 2007 - 1:00 PDT

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Responding to the decision by the House of Lords in YL not to overturn the 'Leonard Cheshire loophole' in the Human Rights Act, Kate Jopling, head of public affairs at Help the aged, said:

'The disappointing decision today is a sickening blow to older people and their families everywhere.

'The vast majority of vulnerable older people receive their care from the private or voluntary sectors - today they remain without protection from abuses of their most basic human rights. Their Lordships decision leaves vulnerable older people open to neglect, abuse and eviction, without redress through the Human Rights Act.

'If we are to take any consolation from this case however, it is that their Lordships have now sent out a clear challenge to the Government to rectify this horrendous anomaly through legislation. This is a challenge to which the Government must rise.

'It is essential that care home residents in the private and voluntary sector, both self funders and those funded by the state, are given the same level of human rights protection as those in local authority homes.

'The legal system has failed vulnerable older people. The Government must not.'

Help The Aged

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