U.K.: Elderly at risk as alarms replace their wardens

LONDON, England (The Observer), August 31, 2008: By Caroline Davies Thousands of vulnerable pensioners in sheltered accommodation are struggling to adapt, as wardens are increasingly replaced by emergency alarms and 'floating' support workers, it is claimed. Campaigners are calling for an 'urgent review' amid fears that cost-cutting measures are causing 'confusion, upset and unrest' among many of the 400,000 elderly people living in sheltered homes. Help the Aged and Age Concern say they want an end to 'diluted, unstable and poorly co-ordinated services' which have resulted in the removal of many wardens who used to be responsible for sheltered units. Instead, many residents - one in five of whom is 85 or older - now rely on emergency alarm pendants and pull cords, with occasional visits from support workers. Joe Oldman, of Help the Aged, said it was unfair on residents who had opted for sheltered housing specifically because they wanted the security of having a warden available. 'It's not that we are [opposed to] assisted technologies. It's how they are used and how people are backed up,' he said. Budget cuts and recent changes to the way sheltered accommodation schemes were funded had contributed to the problem. Some providers had therefore replaced wardens with electronic aids and 'floating' support teams who only visit individuals on their check list. 'There is something going badly wrong and it needs to be looked at,' said Oldman. In the private sector, wardens were being retained because that was what residents wanted. 'In the social sector, residents are told what they want and don't want - which is unacceptable.' Recent incidents have led to an increase in complaints over lack of support. In Derby, an inquest into the death of a 70-year-old woman was told that she had lain unconscious and undetected behind her sofa for several days before a neighbour found her. She was not wearing her emergency pendant and her warden had been removed. In Birmingham, a pensioner collapsed and died after returning from picking up a prescription because there was no one to do it for him. Critics say problems began in 2003 when the government introduced a complex funding formula. Residents used to pay a single sum for their accommodation and all services. Now they make two payments - one to their landlord for accommodation and one to a 'supporting people' team at their local council which provides visits. Each person is assessed according to needs. With not all residents requiring a warden, councils will instead provide 'floating' support personnel spread over several sheltered housing schemes. The trend away from resident wardens is partly due to European regulations on working hours and difficulties in recruiting staff to live in. But many homes still have their own wardens, or scheme managers, who live nearby and have long-term relationships with tenants. © Guardian News and Media Limited 2008