Cost of Care Is Crippling Our Old People; ELDERLY RAID SAVINGS TO PAY FOR NURSING

TENS of thousands of elderly people across Scotland face the heartache of raiding their life-savings to pay for basic care.

Despite paying tax throughout their working lives, sick and disabled pensioners are forced to dip into their meagre savings.

In doing so, they use up hard-earned funds they had planned to leave for their children and grandchildren.

Yesterday the UK Government announced it would pay for nursing care in homes but not personal care.

Scottish Health Minister Susan Deacon came under immediate pressure not to follow suit.

Pensioners' groups said the provision of care for Scotland's elderly would cost less than last year's NHS underspend.

And the Executive were urged to defy Westminster and give the elderly some dignity in their twilight years.

SCOTLAND'S health minister is facing mounting pressure to end the scandal of old people raiding their life-savings to pay for care.

Politicians and campaigners for the elderly last night urged Susan Deacon to use her powers to stop the persecution of pensioners.

They want the Scottish Executive to pay for nursing …

Questia, a part of Gale, Cengage Learning. www.questia.com
Publication information: Article title: Cost of Care Is Crippling Our Old People; ELDERLY RAID SAVINGS TO PAY FOR NURSING. Contributors: Not available. Newspaper title: The Mirror (London, England). Publication date: July 28, 2000. Page number: 6. © 2009 MGN LTD. COPYRIGHT 2000 Gale Group.

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