Sir, – At Alone, the national charity that helps older people to age at home, while we welcome the publication of the ESRI’s report Long-term Residential Care in Ireland: Developments Since the Onset of the Covid-19 pandemic (“Elderly in rural areas face beds shortage as small nursing homes close”, News, January 9th), we feel it’s a report that tells everyone what we already know.
The report highlights what we have also been seeing for some time: the ongoing closure of smaller nursing homes and the consolidation of large, for-profit nursing home operators in the sector.
We have been saying for over a decade that the care of older people cannot be left to the private sector solely as it ends up costing the taxpayer more in the longer term.
There is no doubt under the current system that if we want to provide older people with the care they need near where they live, we need to significantly increase development of public nursing home beds and to ensure the viability of NGO-run facilities so that the Government can deliver on its policy of providing support for older people in their communities.
We also need the introduction of a fully resourced statutory homecare scheme and new housing with support options nationwide, which will improve the quality of life for older people and reduce demand on nursing home beds into the future.
The evidence has been gathered. The research is there.
The population aged over 60 now numbers more than one million people and will continue to increase in the coming years.
Meanwhile, the Commission on Care, promised in the 2020 Programme for Government, is due to finally begin its work in 2024.
How long, then, until we see action in these areas? And how long are older people expected to wait? – Yours, etc,
SEÁN MOYNIHAN
Chief Executive Officer,
Alone,
Dublin 8.