Irish 'spend least on caring for elderly'
The State needs to spend an extra €500m each year on community care for older people, it was claimed today.
The National Economic and Social Forum (NESF) said Irish spending on the elderly is the lowest in Europe, at almost €6,500 per person compared to €19,500 in Denmark.
In its report on care for older people, it recommended that spending be increased by €500m annually over a five-year period to bring Ireland into line with Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) levels.
“The robust economic outlook provides the opportunity and the resources for investment in developing community-based care responses as recommended in this report,” it said.
The report’s key objective is to help older people fulfil their wish of living independently in their own homes and communities as long as possible. It recommended that the extra funding be used to provide increased home and community care, which includes meals on wheels, chiropody, cleaning, transport, community centres and sheltered housing.
It said the Government had to get rid of "perverse investment incentives" which were acting as a barrier to community care.
“Considerable resources have been invested in nursing home care responses, some of which was unnecessary, not wanted and inappropriate.”
The report said financial supports should be re-balanced away from nursing and hospital care towards community and residential settings.
The report cited the example of the Choice programme in Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal, which has allowed older people to stay in their homes by accessing individualised and flexible services.
But it said that services for older people were patchy around the country and recommended that entitlements should be clarified and needs assessments introduced.
The report said that getting rid of ageism had to be a priority. This includes attitudes such as older people are ‘all the same’; older people are frail, disabled, stuck in their ways, even confused; and older people are lonely and isolated.
This can result in old people getting fobbed off by the health service or being constantly described as "bed-blockers".
The report said there was positive discrimination for older people such as the free travel pass, free medical cards for over 70s, as well as fuel, electricity and telephone allowances.
“Negative discrimination, on the other hand, is not justifiable. For example, women aged 65 and over are not able to access Breastcheck, a free breast X-ray screening programme, even though the chances of developing breast cancer increase with age.”
The report recommended the creation of a new national strategy on ageing and a new national strategy on carers.
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said the Government was committed to continuing to develop relevant policies to support care for older people, as shown by the recent budget announcements.
“I welcome this useful report from the NESF which will be taken into account in the future consideration of related policy by Government,” he said.
