There are constant fears among councils that are short of cash about giving free care to old people and especially people who have had strokes and are suffering from dementia.

In the last five years there has been a decline of about 15 per cent in the number of beds on geriatric ward, according to the report, by the Care Quality Commission watchdog.

There is a rise in the population of older people and in 2006 to 2006 there were 24,700 geriatric beds in Wales and England but now these beds have decreased to about 21,000.

The NHS and local authorities are not paying any heed to the needs of older lot and this has been stated time and again by recent reports.

Older people are receiving appropriate care when it comes to food, dressing up etc. and it was stated in a report that was taken out in February that because of cuts in council spending, in the next 10 years there will be 80,000 care home beds lost.

Dame Jo Williams, the watchdog’s chairman, said, “There have been significant improvements in outcomes for people who use services.”