Age UK comment in response to Panorama

Age UK comment in response to Panorama - Behind closed doors - Elderly Care Exposed (BBC One - 9pm)

Caroline Abrahams, Charity Director at Age UK, said:

'Care homes are entrusted to care for some of the most frail and vulnerable older people in our society. It is deeply distressing that yet another shocking story has come to light of older people who have been badly let down by a system that has failed to treat them with dignity and respect or protect them from abuse and neglect.

'Every care home has a moral and professional duty of care to their residents, they must make sure all staff are recruited and trained to deliver safe, dignified and compassionate care at all times. We need to raise standards and ensure that all older people and their families are involved in how the care home is run and are able to raise concerns about the quality of care confident that their views will be acted on.

'There must be effective regulation to prevent abuse, poor management and neglect and complaints and concerns need to be investigated swiftly and efficiently. These stories must stop - we need to stop failing our most vulnerable.'

-ENDS-

Media contact: Liz Fairweather
Tel: 0203 033 1718
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Ref: RISKCA

Notes to editors

Age UK

We work with our national partners, Age Scotland, Age Cymru and Age NI and our local Age UK partners in England (together the Age UK Family). We also work internationally for people in later life as a member of the DEC and with our sister charity Help Age International.

Age UK believes that everyone should have the opportunity to make the most of later life, whatever their circumstances.  We provide free information, advice and support to over six million people; commercial products and services to over one million customers; and research and campaign on the issues that matter to people in later life. Our work focuses on five key areas: money matters, health and well being, home and care, work and training and leisure and lifestyle.

Age UK is a charitable company limited by guarantee and registered in England (registered charity number 1128267 and company number 6825798). Age Concern England and Help the Aged (both registered charities), and their trading and other associated companies merged on the 1st April 2009. Together they have formed the Age UK Group ("we").  Charitable services are offered through Age UK and commercial products are offered by the Charity's trading companies, which donate their net profits to Age UK (the Charity).