The Irish Senior Citizens Parliament is extremely concerned at the reports that the measures contained in the Draft HSE Service Plan could have a detrimental impact on the lives and well being of Older People availing of home help services.
We are calling on the HSE to come out NOW and tell us and Older People in Ireland whether the reported changes are true. Where has the concern for Older People and the objective of supporting Older People to remain living in their own Homes with assistance gone?
The draft plan we understand proposes to limit the number of hours available to any one person to 7.5 hours per week. It also states that these hours would only be available from Monday – Friday between 9am – 5pm. In real terms this means that Older People requiring help and care in their own homes will only avail of a maximum of 1.5 hours per day, Monday to Friday. Such a reduction in home help hours will result in many Older People not receiving the care they require.
Remember these are people for whom HOME HELP is accepted as being necessary and essential. Maybe there are some people who with assistance will be able to get up in the allowed ten minutes and to shower in the 15 minutes allowed for showering and have breakfast in the 10 minutes allocated to breakfast however our view is that this is not the norm and is no way to treat frail Older People.
Surely we have not been reduced to this level in this country YET? Where has the stated policy to enable Older People to remain in their own homes and communities for as long as possible gone?
ENDS