Close to 200 elderly people in Laois were waiting for home help last year despite being approved for care, a situation which Deputy Brian Stanley said as “outrageous”.
In reply to a Parliamentary Question from Deputy Stanley, the Minister for Health and the HSE have confirmed that 323 elderly people were approved for home help in 2017 in Laois, but 190 of those people are still waiting to be provided with hours.
“These figures are shocking and clearly illustrate the shortfall in our care system. What really brings home the true extent of this crisis is out of 214 people put on waiting list last year, 190 of those are still waiting to get Home Help hours,’’ he said.
“This is an outrageous situation where elderly people who are vulnerable are left trying to manage in their own homes without the basic supports. Year on year this has continued to escalate. Most elderly people want to remain in their own homes and in the community.
We should afford them their dignity to do so and provide the necessary supports.
Private
“Instead of providing home helps and other home care supports, elderly people are being steered in the direction of private nursing homes which is becoming a booming industry. This is a far more expensive option for the family and the taxpayer and it makes no sense from the point of view of the welfare of the elderly or from an economic point of view. An adequate home help service will also allow for more timely discharges from hospitals,” he said.
He said when people can avail of the home care/home help packages that are available from the HSE, it is a very good service.
“In fact it’s one of their success stories but it clearly needs to be expanded. With the change of demographics and with the number of elderly people due to increase dramatically in the coming years, we need to put the structures and supports in place to cope with the increase demand.
“In Sinn Fein’s budget proposal in 2018 we put in costed proposals to expand the services and provide extra home help hours and home care packages. I’m calling on the Minister to revisit this area and make better use of the finances available,” Deputy Stanley said.
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