The news that hundreds of elderly patients have been starved to death, or otherwise ‘murdered’ by neglect whilst in hospitals, appears to have shocked many people. Why? Abuse and neglect of our elders is now an accepted feature of British society and has been for some time. I remember a Spanish journalist some years back commenting on a British-led campaign to abolish bull-fighting who said: ‘And this from people who mistreat their old people, get your own house in order first’. He had a point. There have been numerous reports over the years showing how older people are regularly let down by the NHS or by local social care services, but the neglect seems to have just got worse. We also know, and appear to accept as a society, that hundreds, if not thousands, of elderly people will die every year because they can’t afford to heat their homes and have to choose between food, or warmth. Even more to the point, every day in the press we read of another sickening assault on some older person, and often in the own home. Many of these attacks are targeted on the elderly; imagine any other sector of the community facing targeted attacks in this way, the outcry would be loud and long.

The shrugged acceptance of this abuse of the elderly seems, on the surface, to be at odds with a society that is super obsessed with appearing correct, and particularly about human rights. We have just witnessed a campaign to give convicted prisoners the vote – because of their human rights. There is another campaign afoot to have sex offenders removed from the register after a period of time – because of their human rights. What about the human rights of the elderly? The obsession with being PC was shown for all its glory when the Sky Sports presenters Andy Gray and Richard Keys were hounded from their jobs because of remarks they made about a female assistant referee off camera. Nobody died here, but both men lost their jobs. How many people have lost their jobs as a result of the abuse of the elderly? And who can accept that the media corporation that owns Sky was championing the rights of women when it also publishes the bloody Sun newspaper! Then, last year do you remember when a lady was prosecuted after being caught dropping a cat into a wheely bin? Terrible cruelty to the poor animal, they all wailed in the media, and she got death threats. Eventually, after a campaign by the RSPCA and animal rights activists (who generally hate humans anyway) the lady was prosecuted for cruelty. How many people were prosecuted for cruelty over the abuse of the elderly? And why is this abuse and neglect acceptable?

The main problem with modern society is that it is geared towards individualism and promotes self-obsession as a way of life. Added to which families and communities are being driven apart by the debts built up from rampant consumerism promoted by government and media alike and don’t have the time, or money, to look after older relatives. This is also a youth-orientated society, and looking young is so fashionable people have surgery to retain it. It would seem that when you get to 50, society is ready to write you off. In the recent unemployment figures much was made of the numbers of those aged 18-24 on the list, nearly a million, but nothing was said about the fact that nearly the same number of over-50s are also unemployed, and many for over 12 months. And how many times have we heard the mantra that we need more young people involved in politics, or in the media? What for?  Young people are a dwindling minority. Add up these factors and they combine to ensure that, for whatever reason, nobody can be bothered with older citizens. They are seen as an inconvenience, a burden. But why?

The over-50s will soon make up the largest part of our population, and certainly the largest part of the electorate. Just think about how obsessed the BBC and other organisations are about making sure their staffing levels ‘reflect our diverse society’(Remember Greg Dyke complaining that the BBC was ‘hideously white’?). Yes, well how many over 50s will they, or other public organisations employ? especially now that the default retirement age has gone and people are expected to work up to 68. By contrast, it is the over-50s who run most of our voluntary organisations and charities. It is the over-50s who act as both a bank and an unpaid childcare service to their younger family members. I work with the over-50s and they are part of a generation that worked from the age of 14 or 15 without a day off or on benefit, often paying high taxes to build the NHS and Welfare State in its infancy; they did not live off credit, but saved for the things they wanted and managed to put money away for the future (and for which they are now penalised by the State). They grew up as part of a society that mucked-in together to build this country up after the worst military conflict of modern times. They didn’t moan about ‘being bored’ but worked hard, brought up families and coped.

Sadly, in return for their years of sacrifice the elderly are treated worst than second-class citizens in ‘yufe’ obsessed, PC-obsessed society. They are taken for granted by everyone around them and expected to pay for everybody else’s selfish lifestyle choice. And the political parties that they thought represented their views are so obsessed with minorities and appeasing the EU, that they feel betrayed every day they turn on the TV. Even more to the point, they see a future of neglect in a nation that has got so used to throwaway consumerism, that it also throws away its elderly. These fears of future neglect are compounded by the scale of government cuts to local council budgets and by the fact that many private social care homes are now making use of the current jobs crisis by forcing its staff to take pay cuts – thus lowering the quality of care provided. Finally, they are confused because they have something to offer and youth-obsessed Britain still treats them as ‘geriatrics’.

So, we need to get rid of this notion that the elderly are a burden. Far from it, the elderly offer knowledge of life, employment skills and a social awareness that is enormously important in our ever-changing world. They also offer an ethos of self-improvement, community spirit and caring that is vital to our society. Given proper investment and support in Adult Education many elderly people could continue to work, even if only part-time, until well into their seventies and even eighties. They could also be paid to mind grandchildren and thus free-up single mums to work. Crucially, in a society that will become dominated by the voluntary sector in the years ahead, the elderly will be the core provider of many local services. Therefore it is important that we value our elderly and, above all, treat them with the same dignity and respect that we would expect ourselves to be treated. They are not a burden, they are our senior citizens and as English Radicals we value their contribution to the building of our modern society and are proud that they choose to become members of our ever-growing movement. 
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