British Asians are amongst those who are most worried about how they will care for elderly parents in old age, a new Big Care Debate poll has found. As the Government’s consultation on the future funding for long-term care enters its final week, the survey shows a third of British Asians have concerns compared with a fifth of the wider population.
The survey reveals that England’s Asian population are:
· nearly twice as likely to be comfortable looking after their older parents,
· close to five times more likely to expect to look after their grandchildren while their children work, and
· three times more likely to be up for extreme sports, but they are less enthusiastic about bingo.
The Big Care Debate is giving everyone the opportunity to have their say and shape the future of care and support services.
This debate affects everyone. In 20 years time a quarter of the entire adult population in England will be over 65 and the number of people over 85 will have doubled. Half of all men and two in three women will end up needing care, and if someone has more than £23,000 in savings, they will need to meet all the costs themselves.
Under the current system, the average cost of care and support is £30,000, but for someone with dementia it could be as high as £200,000. The Government wants to change this.
Minister for Care Services Phil Hope, said:
“British Asian families have a strong tradition of caring for their own and keeping older people close to the family. Social care services could do more to support this culture and stop people seeing homes and savings from a lifetime’s hard work be whittled away.
“I believe we can build a better system for the future, a National Care Service that supports all our aspirations. To make this happen I need to know what British Asian people want and to learn about what you do well so the whole country can benefit. This is a real opportunity to secure the future of your family and build a better society, please get involved in the Big Care Debate.”
It only takes a few minutes to join in the Big Care Debate at www.careandsupport.direct.gov.uk. This is the last chance before it closes on Friday, November 13.
The Afiya Trust is working to make sure BME people get the chance to have their voices heard in this debate. Chief Executive, Patrick Vernon, said:
“Any process that enables British Asians to be supported in caring for their older relatives, such as the Big Care Debate is to be welcomed. Through our work with BME communities and social care practitioners nationally, it is essential to have access to accurate information about relevant services, housing options and how they need to be financed so they don’t fall through the net.”
The Afiya trust is inviting comments to its own consultation on the green paper with an online survey at www.afiyatrust.org.uk
Survey conducted by Opinion Matters for the Department of Health.
The table below gives relevant figures:
Question
Have you thought about what you would do if one of both of your parents became unable to look after themselves?
Asian or British Asian respondents
34.5% said Yes, I’m very worried about it.
Overall response
19.2% said Yes, I’m very worried about
Question
Would you be comfortable looking after one or both of your parents in their old age or one or both of you in-laws? This means things like taking them to the toilet, washing or dressing them.
Asian or British Asian respondents
71.6% said Yes
Overall response
39.1% said Yes
Question
When you reach the age of 70, which of a given range of options do you think you’ll be doing?
Asian or British Asian respondents
28.4% expected to be looking after grandchildren when children were at work
Overall response
6.4% expected to be looking after grandchildren
when children were at work
Question
When you hit the age of 70, given the opportunity do you think you’ll do any of a given range of options?
Asian or British Asian respondents
17% would take part in extreme sports
25% would play bingo
Overall response
4.8% would take part in extreme sports
36.3% would play bingo
[rc]
Source: News Distribution Service
Department of Health, UK
November 22, 2009
UK: British Asians worry more about caring for their parents in old age
.
LONDON, England / Central Office of Information / Department of Health / Press Release dated November 3, 2009. Received on November 22, 2009
British Asians are amongst those who are most worried about how they will care for elderly parents in old age, a new Big Care Debate poll has found. As the Government’s consultation on the future funding for long-term care enters its final week, the survey shows a third of British Asians have concerns compared with a fifth of the wider population.
The survey reveals that England’s Asian population are:
· nearly twice as likely to be comfortable looking after their older parents,
· close to five times more likely to expect to look after their grandchildren while their children work, and
· three times more likely to be up for extreme sports, but they are less enthusiastic about bingo.
The Big Care Debate is giving everyone the opportunity to have their say and shape the future of care and support services.
This debate affects everyone. In 20 years time a quarter of the entire adult population in England will be over 65 and the number of people over 85 will have doubled. Half of all men and two in three women will end up needing care, and if someone has more than £23,000 in savings, they will need to meet all the costs themselves.
Under the current system, the average cost of care and support is £30,000, but for someone with dementia it could be as high as £200,000. The Government wants to change this.
Minister for Care Services Phil Hope, said:
“British Asian families have a strong tradition of caring for their own and keeping older people close to the family. Social care services could do more to support this culture and stop people seeing homes and savings from a lifetime’s hard work be whittled away.
“I believe we can build a better system for the future, a National Care Service that supports all our aspirations. To make this happen I need to know what British Asian people want and to learn about what you do well so the whole country can benefit. This is a real opportunity to secure the future of your family and build a better society, please get involved in the Big Care Debate.”
It only takes a few minutes to join in the Big Care Debate at www.careandsupport.direct.gov.uk. This is the last chance before it closes on Friday, November 13.
The Afiya Trust is working to make sure BME people get the chance to have their voices heard in this debate. Chief Executive, Patrick Vernon, said:
“Any process that enables British Asians to be supported in caring for their older relatives, such as the Big Care Debate is to be welcomed. Through our work with BME communities and social care practitioners nationally, it is essential to have access to accurate information about relevant services, housing options and how they need to be financed so they don’t fall through the net.”
The Afiya trust is inviting comments to its own consultation on the green paper with an online survey at www.afiyatrust.org.uk
Survey conducted by Opinion Matters for the Department of Health.
The table below gives relevant figures:
Question
Have you thought about what you would do if one of both of your parents became unable to look after themselves?
Asian or British Asian respondents
34.5% said Yes, I’m very worried about it.
Overall response
19.2% said Yes, I’m very worried about
Question
Would you be comfortable looking after one or both of your parents in their old age or one or both of you in-laws? This means things like taking them to the toilet, washing or dressing them.
Asian or British Asian respondents
71.6% said Yes
Overall response
39.1% said Yes
Question
When you reach the age of 70, which of a given range of options do you think you’ll be doing?
Asian or British Asian respondents
28.4% expected to be looking after grandchildren when children were at work
Overall response
6.4% expected to be looking after grandchildren
when children were at work
Question
When you hit the age of 70, given the opportunity do you think you’ll do any of a given range of options?
Asian or British Asian respondents
17% would take part in extreme sports
25% would play bingo
Overall response
4.8% would take part in extreme sports
36.3% would play bingo
[rc]
Source: News Distribution Service
Department of Health, UK
British Asians are amongst those who are most worried about how they will care for elderly parents in old age, a new Big Care Debate poll has found. As the Government’s consultation on the future funding for long-term care enters its final week, the survey shows a third of British Asians have concerns compared with a fifth of the wider population.
The survey reveals that England’s Asian population are:
· nearly twice as likely to be comfortable looking after their older parents,
· close to five times more likely to expect to look after their grandchildren while their children work, and
· three times more likely to be up for extreme sports, but they are less enthusiastic about bingo.
The Big Care Debate is giving everyone the opportunity to have their say and shape the future of care and support services.
This debate affects everyone. In 20 years time a quarter of the entire adult population in England will be over 65 and the number of people over 85 will have doubled. Half of all men and two in three women will end up needing care, and if someone has more than £23,000 in savings, they will need to meet all the costs themselves.
Under the current system, the average cost of care and support is £30,000, but for someone with dementia it could be as high as £200,000. The Government wants to change this.
Minister for Care Services Phil Hope, said:
“British Asian families have a strong tradition of caring for their own and keeping older people close to the family. Social care services could do more to support this culture and stop people seeing homes and savings from a lifetime’s hard work be whittled away.
“I believe we can build a better system for the future, a National Care Service that supports all our aspirations. To make this happen I need to know what British Asian people want and to learn about what you do well so the whole country can benefit. This is a real opportunity to secure the future of your family and build a better society, please get involved in the Big Care Debate.”
It only takes a few minutes to join in the Big Care Debate at www.careandsupport.direct.gov.uk. This is the last chance before it closes on Friday, November 13.
The Afiya Trust is working to make sure BME people get the chance to have their voices heard in this debate. Chief Executive, Patrick Vernon, said:
“Any process that enables British Asians to be supported in caring for their older relatives, such as the Big Care Debate is to be welcomed. Through our work with BME communities and social care practitioners nationally, it is essential to have access to accurate information about relevant services, housing options and how they need to be financed so they don’t fall through the net.”
The Afiya trust is inviting comments to its own consultation on the green paper with an online survey at www.afiyatrust.org.uk
Survey conducted by Opinion Matters for the Department of Health.
The table below gives relevant figures:
Question
Have you thought about what you would do if one of both of your parents became unable to look after themselves?
Asian or British Asian respondents
34.5% said Yes, I’m very worried about it.
Overall response
19.2% said Yes, I’m very worried about
Question
Would you be comfortable looking after one or both of your parents in their old age or one or both of you in-laws? This means things like taking them to the toilet, washing or dressing them.
Asian or British Asian respondents
71.6% said Yes
Overall response
39.1% said Yes
Question
When you reach the age of 70, which of a given range of options do you think you’ll be doing?
Asian or British Asian respondents
28.4% expected to be looking after grandchildren when children were at work
Overall response
6.4% expected to be looking after grandchildren
when children were at work
Question
When you hit the age of 70, given the opportunity do you think you’ll do any of a given range of options?
Asian or British Asian respondents
17% would take part in extreme sports
25% would play bingo
Overall response
4.8% would take part in extreme sports
36.3% would play bingo
[rc]
Source: News Distribution Service
Department of Health, UK
