Will you still need me? Will you still feed me? When I'm 94.

We are not alone in worrying about the care of our elderly people.   On a recent trip to South Australia, where my daughter now lives, I was made aware of the acute shortage of residential care places for older people. Her partner's grandfather, despite operations and a  diagnosis of terminal cancer, struggled to live alone, because a care home place was unavailable. Older people wait to be assessed, wait to find a suitable home, and wait again for a place to become vacant. Meanwhile their quality of life is compromised, when they are least able to do any thing about it.

This picture shows some fiesty Australian ladies from the Uniting Church, protesting about this state of affairs, and urging people to attend a rally. The churches are campaigning for access to appropriate aged care, when and where it is needed ; and also that the care is sustainable for the longer term.

Valuing older people is a world wide issue, and the Australian campaigning churches are trying to secure justice for vulnerable older citizens.

Margaret Duerdoth