Many disabled and housebound elderly residents in Lambeth are being denied the care they need to live dignified and independent lives, according to a charities protecting older people.
Lambeth Council does not offer care to older people whose needs are classed as low or moderate under Government criteria.
Charities Age Concern and Help the Aged say this means many residents still in desperate need of support are neglected.
They say many residents cannot carry out basic daily tasks, such as getting out of bed, using the toilet and washing themselves.
The charities are calling on the Government and local councils, including Lambeth, to reverse eligibility restrictions to guarantee services for all those with critical, substantial and moderate needs.
Currently Lambeth, which has a two star or “good” rating, only provides care to those with critical or substantial needs.
Michelle Mitchell, charity director of Age Concern and Help the Aged, said the situation was just one example of how “the crumbling care system is failing our older people”.
Elderly residents are currently lobbying parliament about their plight ahead of a Government green paper on social care reform, to be published at the end of the month.
The charity estimates it would cost up to £2bn extra per year to patch up the broken care system.
A spokeswoman for Lambeth Council said the council wanted to offer more support to all older people but the financial situation prevented this.
She said: “We echo Age Concern’s sentiment that with an aging population and greater strain on our social care resources there needs to be a national review of funding for this crucial area.
"However, we are working hard to provide as much support as we possibly can to thousands of older people in Lambeth.”
The council is currently personalising services to give users more control over help they receive, consulting with elderly people about their needs, and promoting preventative services, including investing in a network of local neighbourhood clubs for older people providing hot meals, activities and advice.
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