Covid-19 death toll sparks calls to expand Fair Deal to provide elder care in the home
The large numbers of Covid-19 deaths in nursing home settings has reignited calls for a shift of focus from the Fair Deal nursing home funding scheme to one that funds home care for the elderly.
More than 900 nursing home residents have died due to Covid-19 in Ireland, more than half of all deaths attributed to the disease here.
Under the current Fair Deal scheme, 7.5% of the value of a person's home is charged for three years to pay for the nursing home care. This can be deferred until after a person's death.
The Fair Deal scheme is not available for home care.
Age Action Ireland has described the nursing home system in Ireland as "incentivising institutionalised living".
Paddy Connolly from Age Action Ireland says people do not do well in large institutions.
"Instead of investing in a statutory homecare scheme where people would have a right to get a service at home - which people have been calling for for two decades now - we've incentivised the use of institutions," he said.
