Who Cares? appeal launches

An appeal for funds to stop the heartache of older people in residential care being forced out of their accommodation because of lack of funds, was launched on Friday (February 27th) by The Abbeyfield Kent Society.

The Society, a Christian charity running nine Kent care homes and seven sheltered schemes, launched the ‘Who Cares?’ appeal at the Marriott Tudor Park Hotel in the presence of Kent Mayors and other stakeholders.

The appeal is for funds to create a bursary which would meet the funding gap between what the older person can afford and the real cost of the care they receive.

Abbeyfield Chief Executive, Leon Steer, said: “Often, when a care home resident runs out of savings, Social Services step in but are unable to provide the total cost of care.  Unless that old person can find the balance of the money they have to move to cheaper accommodation, sometimes many miles away from their family and friends.”

The Abbeyfield Kent Society, which caters for people with frailty, dementia and Parkinson’s Disease, is determined to be the champion of older people in the county and money raised through the appeal will be devoted to bridging the funding gap that occurs.

“It is heartbreaking when people nearing the end of their lives have to agree to leave the home they have come to love and the friends they have made. The bursary that we are creating will, hopefully, go some way to solving this serious problem,” said Mr Steer.

“We hope and pray that businesses, organisations and individuals will give generously to ‘Who Cares?’. We hope the cause will find a special place in most people’s hearts as there is no doubt that one day, we too will be old,” said Mr Steer.

You can find out more about The Abbeyfield Kent Society and the ‘Who Cares?’ appeal on the Society’s website at www.whocaresappeal.co.uk