Ministers are looking to revamp the social care system in England Politicians should hold cross-party talks on reforming the care system for the elderly in England, charities say.The 26 charities, including Age UK and the Alzheimer's Society, say political leaders "must not let reform fall off the table for another generation".
In a letter to the Sunday Telegraph they call for a "timetable for reform".
The Dilnot review of the funding of social care - due to be published on Monday - is expected to recommend a cap on how much people are required to pay.
'Neglect and abuse'The charities wrote: "We cannot stick our heads in the sand and ignore the stark demographic reality of a rapidly ageing population and people with disabilities and long-term conditions living longer.
"Our political leaders must take this opportunity. Otherwise the terrible stories of the last months, of neglect and abuse of the most vulnerable, will only grow worse."
BBC correspondent Phil Lavelle says it is a huge political issue, with an estimated 20,000 people having to sell their homes every year to pay for care.
Andrew Dilnot, chairman of the Commission on Funding of Care and Support, has told the BBC: "If a cap were put in place we could take away the fear that people would lose everything that they had built up and in particular people seem reasonably anxious that they might lose all the value of their house.
"They still have to pay something but much less than if they end up with high care needs as it is at the moment."
Labour leader Ed Miliband has previously offered to engage in cross-party talks, promising to enter with an "open mind".
A quarter of people aged over 65 can expect a bill of more than ?50,000 for their care, and one in 10 pays more than ?100,000.
The cap could cost the Treasury between ?2bn and ?3bn - the same as the cuts to public sector pensions.
At the moment, the support provided by councils is means-tested so that anyone with assets of more than ?23,250 has to pay for all the cost of their care.
It means thousands of people a year are forced to sell their homes when they go into a care home.
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