The Office for National Statistics states that the number of elderly people is increasing, and will continue to do so. Is there enough care now? Is support there for the elderly? Chipperfield Care is run on a daily basis by volunteers who provide assistance to the elderly in the village. They help with doctor or hospital appointments and weekly shopping.
I visited Margaret House, a care home in Abbots Langley, and had a chat with manager
Patricia Reed. Patricia explained how the home worked. Care packages are prepared to
suit each resident. Packages are then created to meet specific needs. This is extremely
important and goes some way to making residents’ lives more pleasurable.
Pauline Pickering, area manager, responsible for providing care to older and physically
disabled people in Dacorum, Watford and Three Rivers explained to me that the
council runs residential care and assistive technology to support those in need at home.
I questioned how the council was coping with cutbacks in funding. Mrs Pickering
replied, “Hertfordshire Council has to make savings but HCC is committed to making
savings with as little impact as possible on services to the vulnerable”.
Whilst Chipperfield residents are provided for by the council, other communities may
lack money in order to provide care. More resource is needed to ensure quality care
facilities and quality life.
Will the care be there for the growing elderly population, or will lack of funding and
council cutbacks cause a serious problem?
Claudia Coleman

Claudia Coleman lives in the village and is a Year 10 pupil at Kings Langley
Secondary School. As part of her GCSE Citizenship coursework she has written an
article based on whether there will be enough care and involvement within the community for the eldrtly in the future.