Hundreds wait for home support services

CLOSE to a thousand elderly Northsiders approved for home help services are on a waiting list for funding, according to figures obtained by a local politician.

The figures from the Health Service Executive (HSE) show that 951 residents from the Dublin North City and North Dublin areas are on the Home Support Service for Older People waiting list.

According to the HSE, the average cost per client per week for home support services is estimated to be in the region of just €160.

However, health officials say the demand for Home Support is growing and waiting lists for services have become a feature, meaning hundreds of those approved for the service have to wait until funding becomes available.

Dublin North West TD, Róisín Shortall, is calling on Minister for Health Simon Harris to deal with what she describes as “the ongoing crisis in older person’s services”.

“It is absolutely shocking that just over half-way through the year that funding for such a basic service could effectively run out when so many people are waiting for services,” she said.

“The Northside has one of the longest waiting lists for services anywhere in the country, despite the HSE knowing we have an older population.

“Many older people need only a minimum amount of day-to-day support to allow them to live independently.

“In failing to properly fund these services the Government is telling older people they do not care about their needs.

“A case has been recently brought to my attention where an 80-year-old person suffering with Alzheimer’s was approved for home help, but told there was no funding available.” 

In response to a query from Deputy Shortall the HSE said all those waiting are assessed and provided with a service, if appropriate, as soon as possible.

The response reads: “The numbers on the waiting list reflect a point in time. Those people who are on the waiting list are reviewed, as funding becomes available, to ensure that individual cases continue to be dealt with on a priority basis within the available resources and as determined by local front line staff who know and understand the clients’ needs, and who undertake regular reviews of those care needs to ensure that the services being provided remain appropriate.”

Deputy Shortall said the HSE figures showing an average €160 weekly cost for support services underscored the cost effectiveness of providing care at home for older people.

“This is a fraction of the weekly cost of the average nursing home which is over €1,000 per week,” she added.

“Additionally, many older people remain in hospital longer than they need as no home supports are available. An acute hospital bed can cost the HSE approximately €6,000 per week and adds to waiting lists as people cannot return home. It is a complete failure of planning and a waste of resources.

“Enabling older people to remain at home serves older people best and is also a much more cost effective way for providing services,” she added.