Mar 30, 2016:
Active Retirement Ireland Slams "irrational" Cuts to Homecare Packages
Active Retirement Ireland (ARI), the country's largest community-based older people's organisation, has criticised cuts to homecare packages that have forced older patients in the greater Dublin area to remain in hospital even though they are well.
Peter Kavanagh, Head of Communications and Public Affairs for ARI, said, "The HSE is acting in an irrational manner in forcing healthy older people, who need the bare minimum of support to return home, to stay in hospital at a far greater cost to the taxpayer. It makes no sense to restrict homecare packages in certain areas because of red tape and bureaucracy when the simple, sensible solution is to allow these patients to return to their homes and their communities."
The Irish Times reported today that all funding for homecare packages had ceased in Dublin South City and Dublin West, while Dublin South-West and Kildare West Wicklow are providing funding only where an existing holder of a homecare package dies or goes into a nursing home.
"It was the stated aim of the last Government, as laid out in the Programme for Government, to allow older people to age well at home and in their communities. It's clear from this situation that nothing has been done over the last five years to facilitate this aim, and our healthcare system still treats older patients with disrespect and a lack of care and dignity", said Kavanagh.
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