Charities form alliance for older people

Six leading charities have come together to form an alliance which will put pressure on the government to meet the needs of the country's ageing population.

The Ready for Ageing Alliance has been formed following last month's Ready for Ageing report from the Public Service and Demographic Change Committee.

The report called for the coalition government to take swift action in order to avoid a major crisis in the future.

“Health and social care need to be radically reformed; both are failing older people now," said Lord Filkin, chairman of the committee.

"A big shift in services is essential so that the many more older people with long-term conditions can be well cared for and supported in their own homes and in the community and not needlessly end up in hospital."

The six charitable groups making up the committee are Age UK, Anchor, the Centre for Policy on Ageing, Independent Age, the International Longevity Centre-UK and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

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