Local pensioners demand for better adult social care in Islington

By Rosie Drew

Elderly people in Islington are facing a social care crisis, activists claim.

A meeting was held in Islington town hall to discuss the problems affecting adults in the borough who benefit from the social care system.

The Islington Pensions Forum attended the event last month, demanding an improvement in the adult social care system.

The group have also started an online petition demanding that “the government must provide councils with enough funding for them to be able to carry out their duty of care”.

The petition argued: “Nobody should have to lose their home to pay for care. Social care should be shared across society.

“It should be tax funded with individuals and their employers paying 1% additional tax to fund these services so they are free to all, like the NHS.”

The group urged politicians to support their policy.

Elderly people are amongst those most affected by current cuts to adult social care. “The largest area of spending in 2013-14 was on people aged 65 and over, which made up 51 per cent (£8.8 billion) of total expenditure,” the NHS says.

According to Islington Council: “Islington has a significantly higher proportion of the working age population claiming sickness/disability benefits due to physical and/or mental ill health compared to the London average.

“Prevalence of learning disabilities is greater at higher levels of deprivation. Approx. four in 1,000 Islington adults have received a diagnosis of a global learning disability, this is one of the highest prevalence rates in London  and projections suggest an increase in numbers in coming years.”

In 2015/16, Islington offered 3792 residents a social care service (including both service users and carers).

Helplines (SOURCE: Manor Gardens Centre)

• Contact the Elderly is a national charity solely dedicated to tackling loneliness and social isolation among older people. They can be contacted on 020 7240 0630.
• They also organise monthly Sunday afternoon tea parties for small groups of older people (aged 75 and over) who live alone, and have volunteers within the local community who offer a regular and vital friendship link every month.
• Additionally, “Call in Time” is a free telephone friendship service run by Age UK matching hundreds of older people with trained and supported volunteers who enjoy a weekly phone chat about general issues.
• All “Call in Time” calls are free to recipients, delivered Monday to Friday between 9.00am and 5.00pm