BARNSLEY chat show legend Sir Michael Parkinson came home to deliver a cheque for £3.8 million to pay for new flats to help elderly people live with dignity - and said elderly people should complain more.
Parky - the first National Dignity Ambassador - was in town to launch a new Extra Care scheme at Bethel Street in Hoyland.
And the popular personality wowed residents at similar schemes at Lavender Court in Kendray and the Rock House Care Home in Tickhill, Doncaster - walking hand-in-hand with Doncaster resident 78-year-old Edith Barrat and reading poetry to fellow resident, 96-year-old Edna Bishop. The 48 flats at Hoyland will offer high levels of support for elderly people, allowing them to live at home for longer instead of moving to a care home.
It will also let couples stay together instead of being forced apart by care needs.
The scheme, of 39 two-bed and nine one-bed flats, aims to offer tenants improved privacy, dignity, independence and a better social life.
Pensioner Parky said: "Dignity is being treated with respect and compassion" and revealed it was the care provided for his elderly mum that prompted him to get involved.
He said: "It came to me when I was not totally happy with the way she was being cared for that I am not that many years away from being elderly myself and I don't want my children to be in the position I was with mum.
"This is not just about changing attitudes amongst those who provide care for the elderly, it's about the elderly themselves speaking out more, telling people what they want and how they want us all to look after them and they should complain more if the services provided are not good enough.
"We as a nation are not that good at complaining, but I want elderly people to have a moan if they are not happy with things.
"It's been my job all my life to listen to people and that is exactly what I will be doing in this role as Dignity Ambassador."
The Bethel Street development will be the fourth in Barnsley after the success of similar complexes at Lavender Court in Kendray and Doles Avenue in Royston. Funding for a third scheme in the Dearne was obtained in March.
The Dignity in Care campaign aims to drive up care standards by creating 'dignity champions' to spread best practice. It aims to have more than 3,000 nationally by the end of the year - Parky was the first.
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