Campaigner says right to remain in own home is mark of civilised society

A leading disability rights campaigner called for people to be
entitled to live at home instead of in institutionalised
care.

Nick Danagher, executive director of the National Centre for
Independent Living, said a civilised society should be able to
guarantee people support in their own homes but this was not the
case in Britain.

This guarantee should not be dictated by resources. “Funders should
not be allowed to put people in institutions in regard to costs,”
he said.

He added that entitlement to advocacy was essential if people were
to live independently.

Annie Stevenson, senior policy adviser at Help the Aged, said equal
weight should be given to the views of those who wanted older
people to be helped to live in their own homes and of those backing
care homes.

“I do worry about care homes being shoved out the window,” she
said.