17 November 2006
Ministers have promised £67m to councils to improve the standard of care homes across England.
The government says it wants a zero tolerance attitude to abuse of elderly people, who must be treated with 'dignity and respect'.
Speaking at the launch of the government's 'National dignity in care campaign' on November 14, care services minister Ivan Lewis said: 'The generation that built this country has a right to expect excellence in the support and care they receive.'
Lewis said the funding would help local authorities to improve the physical environment of care for older people, help older people living in care homes to do so with dignity and enable care homes to be more responsive to the needs of older residents. There are also plans for a new network of local volunteers to raise the profile of dignity in care locally.
Gordon Lishman, of the charity Age Concern, said: 'Too often older people's rights and feelings are trampled on because of other priorities. We hope this campaign brings to an end undignified and uncaring services that older people have too often had to endure.'
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