Culture shift call for care homes

Most staff are not trained to deal with dementia, the committee heard

A cultural change is needed in the way old people in care are treated, a committee of MPs and peers was told.

People are being put into care homes that do not meet their needs and given the wrong drugs without their consent, the joint Human Rights Committee heard.

"We are seeing too many instances where it is accepted practice for old people to be treated in a low level way," said charity boss Gary Fitzgerald.

The committee is examining the rights of old people in hospitals and homes.

It heard that people were being given the wrong medication - or medication was being used as a form of "chemical restraint" for dementia sufferers - which then became part of their routine care.

Short staffed

There was a "definite link" between over-medication and homes that were short staffed, the committee heard.

Mr Fitzgerald, chief executive of Action on Elder Abuse, said he had heard of a case where an elderly person was given someone else's medication to "keep them quiet".

What we have got is an environment of acceptance. Old people don't object, they have been conditioned to accept the way they are treated Gary Fitzgerald Action on Elder Abuse

He said he had sympathy with many care providers which did an excellent job but struggled with lack of resources.

Some of the best care was given by those on the poorest wages, the committee was told.

But even some of the best care homes would go down hill "immediately" if there was a change of management, because it was strong leadership that instilled "belief" in staff.

Little training

Andrew Chidgey, head of policy at the Alzheimer's Society, told MPs that while two thirds of people in care homes suffered from some form of dementia - an "incredibly small" amount of staff had dementia training.

"In the past five years there has been a deterioration in the standards of supporting people with dementia in hospitals."

He added: "There are a catalogue of incidences in which people's needs are not being met." Asked what could be done, both men told the joint committee that leaflets on people's human rights and complaints procedures would not be helpful.

Instead it would be better if human rights culture was "mainstreamed" into the institutions providing health and social care.

Care homes currently feared bad publicity if abuse was reported and preferred a "no blame" culture, they said.

"It isn't in the interests of the care home to be open and honest about what's taken place and I think that's what we have got to change," said Mr Fitzgerald.

"We need a cultural change to take place here which brings all these strands together."

He added: "What we have got is an environment of acceptance. Old people don't object, they have been conditioned to accept the way they are treated."