| No human rights for elderly in care homes
Private care homes which look after elderly and vulnerable people on behalf of local authorities are not covered by human rights laws, the House of Lords ruled today. Five Law Lords, by a 3-2 majority, rejected argument that a private home is exercising a public function when it cares for people referred to it by a council, and is therefore bound by the Human Rights Act.
The decision, which could affect up to 300,000 residents throughout the country, came in the case of an 83-year-old Alzheimer's patient whose lawyers argued that her threatened eviction from a private home would violate her right to family life. Six months ago, the Court of Appeal rejected the argument, saying it was bound by previous rulings that a private care home could not be classified as a public body and therefore was not covered by the Act.
Rights blow to elderly in private care
Thousands of people who use hospital or school services contracted out by local authorities are without the protection of human rights laws, after a landmark ruling yesterday. In a split 3-2 decision, the law lords ruled that private care homes contracted out to care for elderly people for a local authority are outside the scope of the Human Rights Act. The judgment could affect up to 300,000 residents in England and Wales and also a range of other services contracted out to private bodies, such as intermediate treatment centres or foundation schools. The law lords rejected the view that a private home is exercising a public function when it cares for people referred to it by a council. As a result, they said, it was not bound by the Human Rights Act and its residents could not claim protections under it.
Low Paid Caregivers a Risk for Elderly
A Union that represents workers in aged care residential homes and the community is marking World Elder Abuse Awareness Day by calling on District Health Boards and employers to quickly sort out their new contracts and give caregivers a desperately needed wage increase. Service and Food Workers Union National Secretary John Ryall says that the standard of care for elderly people is being put at risk through low pay, limited training and high caregiver turnover. .
|
