Home care for elderly ‘breaches human rights’

Home care standards for the elderly in England have fallen low enough to risk breaching human rights in certain areas, an inquiry has found.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission's home care review said support for basic tasks around the house left people "stripped of self-worth" and were sometimes "dehumanising".

Cases of theft, physical abuse, neglect and disregard for privacy and dignity were also highlighted by the report, with campaigners describing the situation as "shameful" and councils calling for urgent reform.

Around half of the 1,200 people surveyed reported that the care they received was satisfactory or better, but a number of common complaints – including physical abuse – were made.

Other complaints included not being given enough food or drink, neglect because workers stuck rigidly to their tasks and financial abuse, which included money being systematically stolen.

The Patients Association earlier this month released a dossier containing "shameful" stories about the care that some elderly patients receive in NHS hospitals in England.