We must value our carers and the elderly (From Crewe Guardian)

We must value our carers and the elderly

10:42am Friday 10th February 2012 in Letters

ONCE upon a time there was a very old man who lived with his son and his small grandchild. When he sat at the table, he could scarcely hold a spoon. He spilt soup on the tablecloth and some of his soup would run back out of his mouth.

His son and his son's wife were disgusted with this, so they made the old grandfather sit in the corner away from the table, where they gave him his food in a bowl.

One day when they were having dinner, the grandchild started playing with some sticks on the floor under the table.

"What are you making?" asked his father.

"I'm making a trough for you and mother to eat from when I'm big," came the reply.

The man and the woman looked at one another and then began to cry. They brought the old grandfather to the table, and never complained again when he spilt his soup.”

In modern Britain few grandparents remain in the same house as their children like the family in the Brothers Grimm story. Instead we rely on care assistants to look after the elderly whether in their own homes or in special care homes. The quality of care the elderly receive is dependent upon the experience and diligence of the care assistants. For too long our society has been trying to push down the cost of care for the elderly, with the result that many carers are now paid at the National Minimum Wage (if that). We should value the carers of the elderly. After all, most of us hope to be elderly one day ourselves.

Clr Sam Corcoran

Cheshire East Council