Madam, - I welcome the article on future care for the elderly "Sheltered housing a realistic option" (August 19th).
Having witnessed the provision of sheltered housing for the elderly at first hand, the case for it as a viable intermediate housing and care option is a "no brainer" from a financial and social perspective. Firstly, it costs relatively little to provide revenue funding for the support and care costs in sheltered housing compared to nursing homes and secondly, it allows elderly people to remain living in their communities and increases their independence much longer.
In reality the Government has created the problem of vast expenditure on nursing homes by the free market approach to long-term care, providing huge tax incentives for developing such homes. Thus the State is creating a huge long-term liability for itself.
However, I would be very concerned from reading this article that the Government high-level group looking at long-term care is examining this issue only from the perspective of the expense of high-cost, specialised long-term care such as nursing and residential care and not examining in detail intermediate solutions like sheltered housing.
Perhaps the Minister for Health will provide the necessary leadership to allow sheltered housing to develop as a mainstream community care option. Otherwise we will be forced to a future of community care options limited to costly nursing and residential care. - Yours, etc
Dr BRIAN MULRONE, Killarney Road, Bray, Co Wicklow.