Dementia Support Line
Which? care homes investigation
Investigation by Which? has found that care homes are failing to provide contracts and may be breaking the law by neglecting to tell residents and their families about important terms and conditions.
Consumer watchdog Which? is calling on the Government to act now on the competition authority's recommendations to strengthen consumer protections for care home residents and relatives including on contracts, unfair fees and evictions.
Andrew Boaden, Senior Policy Officer at Alzheimer's Society, says:
'The findings from this investigation are deeply saddening and shameful, but unfortunately unsurprising. Around two thirds (70%) of people living in care homes are affected by dementia.
'And all too often families of people with dementia have called us at their wits end, as their loved one suffers at the hands of bad contract clauses. Some have told us harrowing stories of people with advanced dementia evicted at a month’s notice.'
'Moving into a care home is a huge and often very difficult decision. It’s vital that they and their families are supported in understanding their rights – the fact that so many aren’t is absolutely appalling.
'However, care homes behaving in this way is a symptom of a chronically underfunded social care system. The time for action is now, and the government needs to ensure meaningful investment and social care reform in the forthcoming green paper. Or the system will collapse, and people with dementia will continue to suffer.'
