Supporting the Older Generation

Older People are often forgotten or over looked in this Country.  Sadly the line 'does she take sugar in her tea?' is still widely used when a person is perfectly able to answer for themselves.  Kerry herself was once with her own Grandmother to be asked by a staff member what her Grandmothers name was!

Kerry is passionate about giving Older People back their voice.  Just because a person gets older (as we all will!) doesn't mean they can't be involved, make decisions and keep control of their life.  Even when an older person lacks capacity to make certain decisions for themselves, there is still plenty they can be involved in and their views must be the place we start from, even if we have to deviate from their views in order to keep them safe.

Kerry will always assume a person has capacity to make a decision unless proven otherwise.  Offering someone the respect they deserve creates a trusting relationship that is essential when offering support and guidance.  Older People should still have a vital role within the community and within their own families and, although we often want to protect Older People, we must also let them live a life with quality and allow them to make unwise decisions if they have capacity to do so.  As a Court of Protection Judge once said, "what's the point of making someone safe if, in doing so, you just make them miserable? (Mr Justice Munby, 2007)

Kerry will ensure that the individual's mental wellbeing is assessed as well as their physical limitations and risks to ensure the right balance is found.