Sir, – Perhaps the HSE should publish the reasons why it underfunds home help and encourages transfer to nursing homes? Some years ago the state of Wisconsin in the US, undertook studies to evaluate care for the elderly and found that the longer people could remain at home the better, both for the wellbeing of the individual but also financially for the state.
Due to lobbying by the nursing home owners and the medical insurance companies the policy was never adopted.
Perhaps we could learn from the experience of others and use the money saved to increase the numbers of doctors and nurses. – Yours, etc, PATRICK DAVEY Shankill, Dublin 18.