Gemma Fox - While much of the press in the UK is concentrating on the phone hacking allegations and the demise of the News of the World paper it means that other stories are slipping through the net and one of those stories concerns an ex-ballerina who has been entirely stripped of her dignity by a council seeking to save money.Elaine McDonald is a 67-year old former prima ballerina of the Scottish Ballet and was once considered the best classical ballerina in the U.K. during the 1980's. She became a great dramatic dancer. Elaine danced the leads in many ballets including Cinderella, Mary Queen of Scots, Gisella and Swan Lake. In 1983 Elaine's work within ballet was recognised with an OBE, something that was rare outside of the Royal Ballet. Thousands of people watched in awe Elaine's performances over the years.
Twelve years ago, in September 1999, Elaine had a stroke which left her with severe mobility issues. Although still able to walk short distances Ms McDonald still requires the aid of a carer to perform certain task, including using a commode during the night. Elaine is not considered incontinent. After her stroke she was left with a neurogenic bladder which means that she usually requires to use the bathroom 2 0r 3 times during the night. Elaine managed this fine with the aide of her night time carer. Now Elaine has had her night carer taken away from her by the London Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.
Withdrawing the services of the night time carer will apparently save the council £22,000 per year. In place of this service the council have instead offered to provide Ms McDonald with continence pads and absorbent sheets for her bed. What this means is rather than supply a person to help Elaine to and from the commode during the night, they want her to urinate herself throughout the night, despite the fact the she is continent. In reality, to save money they have stripped her of her dignity. They have stripped her of her rights as a human being.
Elaine fought her corner in the High Court and eventually ended up in the Supreme Court where her bid to have the decision over turned was ruled against by 4-1. Her night carer will be withdrawn and she will have to suffer the indignity of urinating and defecating herself.
Charity Age UK intervened in the court case and supported Ms McDonald through. After the judgement on Wednesday by the Supreme Court Charity Director Michelle Mitchell said, "Today’s decision is shameful. Older people have a fundamental right to dignity and forcing someone to sleep in their own urine and faeces could not be more undignified.
"This judgement opens the door to warehousing older people in their own homes without regard to their quality of life.
"Care should not be just about keeping people safe. It must enable them to live dignified and fulfilled lives."
The judgement by the Supreme Court paves the way for other councils to remove carers from vulnerable people at detriment to them and comes at a time when the care sector is still reeling from revelations about massive failings in care of the elderly and care of vulnerable adults.
