MP warns on care homes’ reputation

MP Paul Burstow said that by not planning ahead many are left to make difficult decisions when their lives “hit a crisis”.

His comments come as a poll revealed that only one in four people would even consider moving into a care home.

Just 24 per cent of the 2,000 people polled said they would think of moving into a care home if they became frail in old age, compared with 43 per cent who would not.

Of those who would not want to move into residential care, more than half cited fear of abuse or neglect as their main worry, according to the survey conducted by think tank Demos.

The findings of the poll will feed into a new commission on residential care, chaired by Mr Burstow, which will aim to tackle negative public perceptions about care homes.