7 out of 10 people have not discussed care of elderly parents

Almost 70% of people have never discussed care arrangements with their parents, a survey on behalf of Carers Trust has found.

Gail Scott-Spicer, chief executive of Carers Trust, commented on the findings as demonstrating an“ostrich approach”, and called for there to be a greater level of dialogue in order to remove the stigma attached to elderly care planning.

The poll, which surveyed over 1,300 people, found that 68% of respondents had never discussed any provision of care. Of these, 48% stated that the subject had never come up in conversation, whilst 34% admitted being embarrassed to talk about such matters with their parents for fear of causing upset.

The figure rises amongst the 25-34 age group, where 81% state that care provision has not been discussed. Worryingly, 30% of those aged 55 and over with parents who are still alive had not yet had this conversation, whilst more than 10% believed that the government would foot the bill for all care required in full.

Ms Scott-Spicer called on people to wake up to their parents’ future care need, stating: “We were shocked that future care needs of parents appear to be such a taboo family topic. Given the expected rise in the UK’s elderly population and the fact there are already over 12 million over 65-year-olds in the country, we simply can’t afford to not have these conversations.”

Fiona Lowry, our CEO, commented: “We welcome greater awareness of the need to discuss care options with elderly people, and the Good Care Group team constantly strives to provide information to help inform your decisions. Our research has shown that live-in care can help sustain independence and well-being for your loved ones, providing greater happiness and quality of life through highly-trained support in their own home. For frank, friendly information on top-quality care at home, and advice on funding options, you can contact our expert team.”