Irish Health Minister Promises: Elderly to benefit from improved home care
Dependent elderly citizens are to benefit from a stronger supportnetwork this winter to help them remain in their homes, the Tánaisterevealed today.HealthMinister Mary Harney pledged to substantially increase home carepackages, rather than placing people in residential care, as part of anew policy towards elderly people.“It is time for new thinking, new policies and new practices on services for our senior citizens,” Ms Harney said.“Akey priority is supporting people to stay in their own homes andcommunities and moving away from the practise of placing people inresidential care as a first option.”
At the National Economicand Social Forum plenary session on long term care at Dublin’s RoyalKilmainham Hospital, Ms Harney said around 28% of residents or about5,000 people in long-stay beds were in low to medium dependencycategories. She said many of these people could be cared for in their homes with the appropriate level of supports.
“Currently,we do not offer enough support to high dependency patients who want toremain at home. I am determined to change this and I expect we shallsee a major increase in Home Care Packages this winer as a cornerstoneof new thinking and new policies on long term care,” Ms Harney said.