Scotland’s health secretary has pledged to consider Frank’s Law this summer.
Shona Robison met Amanda Kopel when the tireless campaigner visited Holyrood to gather support from across the political spectrum.
Although the SNP failed to send a representative to back the call for the extension of personal care to under 65s suffering from conditions like dementia, Scottish Government ministers have ordered a feasibility study into the proposals.
Dundee East MSP Ms Robison said: “It was important to meet with Mrs Kopel and discuss an issue which is understandably close to her heart.
“I reaffirmed the government’s commitment to protecting free personal and nursing care and was able to update Mrs Kopel on the feasibility study on extending free personal care to people under 65 which the Scottish Government is undertaking – I have committed to meet with her again once this study is completed in the summer.
“We’ve already invested £6 million to increase the income threshold at which someone becomes liable for charges, and we will continue to take action to make the system fairer still.
“From April 1 this year, armed forces veterans will have income from war pensions disregarded from social care financial assessments.
“We are transforming the way we treat dementia so more people have their independence for longer and working towards greater supported self-management at home.”
Dundee United legend Frank Kopel and his wife Amanda paid around £300 a week for him to have personal care in his Kirriemuir home after he was diagnosed with dementia aged 59.
The former left back was eligible for just 19 days of free personal care before his death in April 2014 despite living with the illness for nearly six years.
Recent figures show 808 Scots aged between 15 and 64 are being treated for the devastating illness, compared to 2009/10 when fewer than 600 were living with the disease, an increase of more than a third.
