Our final days in this life should be among the most precious, a time when we are comforted and reassured by those around us, when we can sift through our memories and take stock, while still remaining as active as possible.
We should be protected from any type of abuse, whether wilful or by neglect. At the very least we should be able to expect minimum standards in our care.
The Rostrevor House nursing home case, however, has demonstrated yet again that there are deficiencies in the care of the elderly. Many observers will be astonished at the seemingly unwieldy procedures involved. While any allegations must be followed by fair procedures, the interests of elderly patients should have high priority.
It is vital that being elderly is not seen as synonymous with nursing home care. Only about 5 per cent of the population utilises any of the 26,000 or so beds currently available. Most older people stay in their own homes, all the research indicating that this is the choice of the vast majority. But the Government's commitment to this policy is not always matched with the resources necessary for older people to remain comfortably and safely in their communities. Too often there is a scarcity of home helps, care attendants, and public health nurses to provide an adequate standard of care, with recent cutbacks causing considerable discomfort to a particularly vulnerable sector of the community.
The focus now, however, is on the nursing home sector about which there are increasing signs of public unease. The vast majority of such homes provide an adequate and sometimes excellent service, but Age Action Ireland, which has been lobbying for an independent, statutory nursing homes inspectorate, has highlighted weaknesses. State beds, about 44 per cent of the sector, are not overseen by any outside body, private nursing homes are scrutinised only once or twice annually, weekly fees can be €700 and more, and despite some comprehensive studies, there has been no indication from the Government on how it believes the sector should be financed and subsidised in the future.
The Government should initiate the establishment of an independent statutory officer with the power to inspect all State and private nursing homes. Such an officer would be enabled to visit any such long-stay setting, at any time, with the power to seek an instant order for closure from the District Court.
The start of Positive Ageing Week on September 26th should focus minds on the importance of respecting older age at a time when the prevailing culture can dismiss those who are not always economically active.