Monday 2 January 2012

A tale of 2 systems DPRK and UK

DPRK(extract from Q&A on Korean style socialism)

68. How the state looks after the helpless old men, the handicapped and children?

The DPRK has enforced the popular policies of looking after the helpless old men, the handicapped and children in a responsible manner.

The schools for the bereaved children of the revolutionary martyrs including the Mangyongdae Revolutionary School were opened after Korea’s liberation from Japanese military occupation and the state took the whole responsibility for the upbringing of them. It brought up the war orphans in the past Korean War.

The DPRK looks after the helpless old men and the handicapped in an asylum for the aged and resort house without cost.

They are admitted to the asylum for the aged and resort houses, resuscitate their working ability or promote their health and the state entirely looks after their life.

Thanks to the Workers’ Party of Korea and state, they enjoy a happy life in the asylum for the aged and resort houses free from cares and worries.

UK (from "Guardian")

The social care system has been branded "not fit for purpose" after figures revealed elderly people are paying up to £7,000 a year for home care services.

David Rogers, a councillor and chairman of the Local Government Association's community wellbeing board, accused the government of underfunding local authorities, leaving councils with "tough decisions" over the services they can provide.

Statistics released by the Labour party showed marked rises in the cost of council services for elderly and disabled people over the past year.

Analysis of data from 93 out of the 153 councils in England showed there has been a 13% rise in the cost of meals on wheels, with the average price of a meal rising from £3.17 to £3.44.

There has also been a 33% increase in transport fees, with the average cost of travel to places such as daycare centres now standing at £2.32 per journey.

Labour said the data also revealed a "postcode lottery" in the amount people pay for social care, with huge disparities across the country.

People living in the London borough of Tower Hamlets pay nothing for personal care, while those in Cheshire East are charged more than £20 an hour, for example.

Rogers said: "These results highlight what we already know: the current social care system is not fit for purpose. It is underfunded and in need of urgent reform.

"We all want to know that everything possible is being done to ensure our elderly friends and relatives are treated with the dignity and respect they rightly deserve and councils are committed to doing the very best for people in later life.

"But councils are facing the long-term triple pressures of insufficient funding, growing demand and escalating costs and despite their best efforts, they are having to make tough decisions about the care services they can provide."

The data, obtained under the Freedom of Information law, showed elderly and disabled people are being charged an average of £13.49 per hour for home care – a rise of 6% in two years.

This means someone who does not receive state help and gets 10 hours of support a week pays around £7,015 per year.

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