The scandal of 180,000. dementia sufferers being prescribed anti-psychotic drugs – leading to behaviour changes in many and even death, is bad enough, but sadly I think the problem is a much wider problem.

We need (as a country – society) to decide how we want to be treated both in old age and when unable to properly look after ourselves such as in this case. We need to once and for all decide how we are going to provide the hidden health service – our carers, with the support and advice they need and deserve.We need to fundamentally address a few issues as a society, we need a national debate on these issues which can ultimately inform Government as to what we should expect.I remember when the elderly were often referred to as Senior Citizens – that phase doesn’t seem to be used often enough these days. But to my mind that’s what they are.

In a week when we have commemorated the passing of a generation that gave so much for our freedom and quality of life, isn’t it time we properly recognised that we owe them a certain quality of life in their final years. And isn’t it time we guaranteed a certain quality of life for severely disabled or those generally in need of constant care?

It’s time this issue was placed firmly on the agenda before it slips beneath the cloud of spending cuts and the un-holy political auction between parties fighting to out-cut each other.

We need national care standards guaranteed for our elderly, decent pensions and proper protection to ensure that scandals such as the “easy” prescription of powerful controlling drugs are monitored and regulated.

And we need to decide how the army of carers across the country should be supported, at present they receive a derisory carers allowance and effectively save the NHS millions as a result.

But often they are placed in intolerable situations with minimum support and essentially expected to sacrifice their lives so that they can provide the care they feel their relative or loved one deserves. Often they end up with ill health themselves as a result – and don’t even start me on the issue of child carers.

There has been much talk of brave soldiers recently – well our child carers are some of the bravest people in our communities that I can think of. They do a tremendously difficult job and they deserve greater respect and recognition.

We live in a society with an ageing population, people living longer, needing greater support later on in life. Meanwhile we have been closing homes to enable people to stay at home -even if they don’t want to.

It’s time the elderly, the disabled, the infirm somehow found a voice.They need to be heard before we let down another generation.