The royal voluntary services

I read in the news recently that they asked for volunteers to assist older people who come out of hospital and are left alone. Apparently, older people go back into hospital soon after being discharged. So what does that tell the NHS,adult social services, the govemet and other agencies? Well, what happened in the past, perhaps some five are ago or so, the local NHS trust, they were primary health care trusts then, ensured older people had a package of care. Six weeks after leaving hospital they would have help from therapists and care workers, possibly a social worker. They would be settled in, doctors contacted, and older people were less likely to re enter hospital. The austerity measures are no longer mentioned but a talk with a senior worked in the NHS made me think. These sorts of co.ordinated efforts to help older people are not available and so it is up to us as individuals to volunteer because we cannot see older people be in left alone and to their own devices.