history

over 50 years supporting older people

"How fortunate are the many people who are able to live to the end in familiar surroundings supported by loving relatives and friends. Great is the need of compassion and understanding for those less fortunate who must depend on strangers" (Bob Graham, Compassionate Strangers, 1982)

The words of Counsel and Care's founder, Bob Graham, shows that over 50 years after the charity began, there are still many older people who rely on the help and support given by our Advice Workers to navigate the care system.

Counsel and Care has provided comfort and support for over a quarter of a million older people and their carers in its half century of existence.

In 1954, the founders of Counsel and Care, Bob Graham and Joceline Owen, were prompted to take action as a result of what they experienced as King's Fund researchers when they witnessed the loneliness and poverty suffered by many older people. They identified a central problem – that older people in need of medical and nursing care could not be admitted to hospitals because the beds were occupied by other older people – patients who were no longer in need of that care, but who could not be discharged because there was nowhere else for them to go. Bob and Joceline collected two hundred pounds from amongst their friends, and funded the move of two hospitalised patients into a privately run nursing home.

They set up the Elderly Invalids Fund when they had sustained success in collecting charitable funding from other sources to support the moving of older people from hospital into care homes.

Improvements in social care legislation meant that care for the poorest older people became the full responsibility of the state and local authorities, and so it became evident that the role of the fund should broaden from financial support for the few, to advice to many thousands of older people and their families.

The Elderly Invalids Fund became Counsel and Care for the Elderly in 1974. By the 1990s the advice service was soon handling 20,000 enquiries a year, and funds from the National Lottery meant that all callers could phone for advice for the cost of a local call.

Counsel and Care has strengthened its advocacy role, and developed its capability as a professional guide to good practice. It produces and speaks at key conferences, produces factsheets, and has written many authoritative studies on the particular problems facing older people. It lobbies and liaises with government and local authorities, carries out joint studies with academic institutions, and researches projects on behalf of large charitable funds.

Today, Counsel and Care is still giving advice and help to around 25,000 older people, their families and carers each year on a range of community care issues. We are still campaigning for older people to be able to get the best care and support, and to be given a wide range of options for their care. Counsel and Care is needed more than ever as our population ages.

Our first 50 years have shown achievements which we are very proud of, giving positive help to many older people, their families and carers and adapting to and helping to bring about change. We are looking forward to another 50 years of continued success and growth to ensure all older people have choice and control over their lives.