Most people still harbour a belief that if you work hard and pay your taxes, the state will take care of you in your old age. Seems straightforward enough, but unfortunately this is no longer a certainty. Rising demand and a chronic lack of cash are conspiring to push the care sector into crisis.
Over the years, cash-strapped local authorities have closed their homes and relied on housing associations or private owners to take up the slack. But the shortfall between the fees paid to homes and the true cost of provision is huge: £385m, according to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. At best, this will put housing associations off entering care provision. At worst, care homes will close. Meanwhile, more and more people need care as the population gets older.

The government is keen on offering the elderly more choice in their housing and this week the Housing Corporation echoed that sentiment (page 10). However, that choice is being eroded by care home closures. Bed-blocking is on the rise and elderly people are increasingly forced to move long distances to find the care they need.

Providers look to the government for increased investment, but Whitehall is unlikely to bail out such a fragmented sector. Provision is split between councils, housing associations, charities and private companies, large and small. The councils mistrust providers and the providers mistrust each other – after all, they are competitors. This means lobbying thus far has been too piecemeal to have any serious impact.

Some dialogue has started between providers. Certain housing associations and private owners have been meeting regularly since earlier this year under the auspices of the Association of Directors of Social Services. This attitude must be adopted across the sector. A more united front would allow smaller homes to work in partnership to bid for contracts and groups of independent care home owners to unite to lobby both councils and the government for more funding.

Whitehall is unlikely to bail out the care home sector while it remains in such a fragmented state

Homes that make improvements – anything from redecorating to making space for more beds – should be able to charge councils higher fees. The current fee system doesn't allow for better-quality care homes to be rewarded for their achievements.

A reward-based system would be an incentive for homes to improve, ultimately giving residents more opportunity to choose good care.

Care home providers must put aside their differences and find a voice loud enough to ensure that care for the elderly gets the same attention in newspaper headlines and on council social services agendas as children's services.

Source

Housing Today