Disadvantages and Social Exclusion Faced by Physically Disabled Older Adults in UK

Running head: SOCIAL CARE SERVICE-USER GROUP
Social Care Service-User Group
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1SOCIAL CARE SERVICE USER GROUP
Nearly everyone goes through sudden barriers however, the aged people with physical
disability living independently, barriers can be more frequent and can cast greater impact
(Randström, Asplund and Svedlund 2012). According to the World Health Organisations
(WHO) (2017), the barriers are more than just being the physical obstacles in case of people
with physical disability. There are numerous disadvantages faced by the older adults of
physical disability who fall under the population of social care service user. Some of the main
disadvantages or challenges experience by this group include inaccessible physical
environment, lack of proper yet authentic assistive technology (rehabilitative, adaptive and
assistive devices), adverse attitudes to the surrounding population towards the disability.
Moreover, the systems, services and policies are either non-existent or at times hinder
optimised involvement of aged people with disability in all areas of life (WHO 2017). The
following essay aims to highlight the disadvantages and social exclusion faced by the
physically disabled older adults residing in UK. The essay also plans to shed light over how
these social care service users groupscan be assisted in order overcome such challenges.
Role of Government in Aged Social Care and Disadvantages Arising out of it
The adult social care system in UK delivers care, support and help to people with
physical disabilities. This social care service helps physically disabled older people to live
life as independently as possible while protecting the people from self-harm and from
vulnerable situations. They also simultaneously balance risks with rights while offering
quality help at the time of crisis. The social care service providers offer help in people’s own
home or in other community settings. Unlike the National Health Service (NHS) care, most
of these social services which are directed towards the physically disabled group of the adult
or aging population, involve proper assessment of individuals “eligible” needs and financial
requirements (Gordon et al. 2013). According to Oliver et al (2014), by the age of 65, the
majority of the older population have at least one long-term physical complication and by the

2SOCIAL CARE SERVICE USER GROUP
age of 75 this number increases to two. According to the National Audit Office (2016), 62%
of all hospital admission per day is registered against the older people who are above 65 years
of age. The National Health Service too is under immense pressure even though the funding
coming from NHS is protected in comparison with the funding received by the local
authorities. Healthcare organisations have also struggled in order to satisfy the requirements
of the aged age group in a periodic manner in both emergency and inpatients departments
(Care Quality Commission 2015). In the majority of cases, the health and the social care
services are not joined up. According to Gordonet al. (2013), the gaps in the social care
services are responsible towards the generation of pressure on the health care services.
Gordon et al. (2013) have highlighted that low levels of pay, lack of proper training and skills
are hampering the quality of social care to the aged populations with disability in UK.
LaingBuisson (2016) has highlighted this cause as the major concern behind the difficulties
in recruitment and lack of quality workforce in aged special care service. The poor quality of
care received social care user groups is not only limited to the lack of adequate man power
but also due to lack of proper resources. According to the National Audit Office (2014),
central government has decreased the social care funding to the local government by 37% in
the financial year of 2010-2011 and 2015 to 2016. The main reason behind this, the local
authorities have spent £7.23 billion on social care for aged people and this accounts for only
42% of the total funding received from the central council. Moreover, further increase in the
number of aged population in UK has caused decrease in the quality of care and thereby
creating disadvantaged situations for the physically disabled older populations living
independently in UK (National Audit Office 2014).
Role of society in increasing the disadvantages of aged social-care service user
Apart from the problems arising out of lack of funding and lack of proper workforce,
there are also certain social gaps which increase the challenges of social care user populations