Age UK criticises elderly ‘fostering’

Leicester city council’s plan to introduce a fostering service for its elderly residents has been criticised by the local branch of Age UK. The scheme, which is operated by Shared Lives Plus and regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), will see elderly people live with local families who are paid to care for them. Leicestershire Age UK told the Leicester Mercury that the scheme should be approached with a degree of caution as it would involve placing potentially vulnerable people in homes with strangers. However, assistant city mayor for adult social care, Rita Patel, argued: It’s not suitable for everybody but for people who want to be in a family environment, who want to be taken care of on an individual basis, it’s a fantastic scheme.’