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What growing old holds for the future of services
In 12 years' time it is predicted than an extra 23,500 pensioners will be living in Buckinghamshire,.
This will bring the total number of over 65s to almost 100,000.
The implications for OAPs and their relatives is huge, as most are likely not to get means-tested help from Buckinghamshire County Council (BCC).
Just 1,082 OAPs get financial support from the council out of 69,677 over 65s, although many of these will not need a home.
But the sheer scale of the growing number of older people in the county is still causing major concern for the council.
From 2007 to 2020 the authority is expecting a 30 per cent increase in people aged over 65 - from 76,100 last year to 99,600 in 12 years' time.
The Government this week launched a major sixth month consultation on the future of care in light of the rising numbers of OAPs.
Health secretary Alan Johnson said: "The current system is simply not sustainable in the long term."
The county's strategic partnership, which brings together public bodies including the council and NHS, said this was most "substantial" in the south of the county.
Peter Loose, the council's head of commissioning for adult social care, said: "We can look for efficiencies, but when people live longer with more health problems then they will need more care. It is a growing pressure."
At £97.1m, adult social care takes the biggest chunk out of the council's £272.7m budget.
The majority of the average council tax bill of £1,018.91, goes to the council and about £350 of this goes to care costs including home-help social workers.
But council leader Cllr David Shakespeare said: "It is an area that is massively under-funded by the Government. We are getting less and less money in real terms and the pressure moves onto the council taxpayer, making the bill higher than we want it to be."
There were "many occasions" when care beds were not available for hospital patients, meaning pensioners had to stay on wards until one was free.
The Audit Commission, the Government's spending watchdog, has scored the council as "performing well" in how it manages its finances.
Yet what of the care elderly residents get when they do pay hundreds of pounds a week for their care? For the first time last week the Government care watchdog published a list of star ratings for all registered homes in England, some of which are for adults with learning disabilities.
Although the results are in line with the national picture - 62 and 10 per cent get the top two and three stars - the results show criticisms for one star adequate' homes.
In December staff at Cherry Garth in Holmer Green were rapped for sharing hoist slings and sliding sheets between residents, risking the spread of infection.
The most recent report for Culwood House in Chesham, made last April, said staff had to "respect service users' right to privacy and knock before entering bedrooms".
Carpets at Hibbert Lodge, Chalfont St Peter, had to be "cleaned or replaced to eliminate the offensive odour" inspectors said in May 2007 and in the same month urged "vigilance" for bad odour for The Croft in Amersham.
The actions of staff are central to pensioners' care, but the reports behind the star ratings, compiled by the Commission for Social Care Inspection, found gaps in training.
A January inspection found managers at Chilterns Manor in Bourne End should review the "physical intervention, restraint policy and procedure" while Cherry Garth was told there "must be a staff member who holds an up-to-date first aid qualification".
Overall, one south Bucks homes had no stars, 17 had one star, 44 had two stars and seven had three stars.
Mr Loose said: "Generally, we have some very good homes and we don't have a significant number which give us significant concern."
Yet recruiting staff was the "biggest single pressure" he said. "The cost of living in the county isn't easily compatible with the
work and salaries that go with it."
The Commission for Social care Inspection - the Government's care watchdog - has given ratings to care homes. To access this information click here
10:53am Friday 16th May 2008
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Posted by: Nick, High Wycombe on 11:46am Fri 16 May 08
And I'll be one of them ....
And I'll be one of them ....
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