London, March 12 (RHC)-- A study by the UK’s largest charity for elderly has revealed that severe cuts to health and social care services have sent thousands of pensioners into hospitals. Age UK says Community care and social care services for older people have faced a ‘double whammy’ of spending cuts over the past 10 years.

According to the research study, a slash in social care coupled with fewer district nurses and -community matrons has increasingly forced thousands of vulnerable people to A&E. The number of district nurses fell 27.5%, from 7,851 to 5,690, and community matrons by 17.1%, 1,552 to 1,287 over the past four years.

The charity has found that spending on social care for senior citizens has dropped from £8.1billion in 2005-6 to £5.46billion in 2014-5. Age UK says the country’s system for keeping people well at home is weak.

In February, a study conducted by health care analysts LaingBuisson showed one in five care homes for the elderly in England fail to meet national standards for safety and care. According to the research, 20 percent of 9,816 care homes investigated had failed to meet the primary quality measures.

Among the inadequate findings were cases of care homes being deemed unsafe, not caring enough or poorly managed. According to the report, the findings meant 73,000 British elderly were living in care homes where service is deemed substandard.