UK: bishops lament poor care for elderly in nursing homes

CWN - October 21, 2011

Following the publication of a UK government report that found that 14% of nursing home fail to give their patients adequate food and water, the bishops of England and Wales called for “a culture of care which cherishes life from its beginning to its natural end.”

“This is the moment many Catholic health and social care professionals have been warning of, a time when lack of care means the system begins to fail people time and time again,” said Archbishop Peter Smith. “How we value the people we care for, and how we treat them, holds up a mirror to who we truly are as a society and as individuals.”

“Regulation plays a part, but is not the whole story,” he added. “It is essential to foster a culture of care which cherishes life from its beginning to its natural end, which recognizes the God given dignity of the older person, and sees it as the greatest honor to respect their dignity through the best care.”

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  • Posted by: AgnesDay - Oct. 21, 2011 11:16 AM ET USA

    Until we revive the nursing orders and other means of selfless charity, the healthcare system will continue to fail. The worst thing that happened to healthcare in the West is the profit motive.

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