asked the Minister for Health the number of beds for elderly persons who are incapable of looking after themselves provided in homes or hospitals under the aegis of the Dublin Health Authority; and, if the information is available to him, the number of places in voluntary homes for aged persons in the Dublin Health Authority area.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Accommodation for Aged Persons in Dublin.
34.
The number of beds in the institutions of the Dublin Health Authority which are specifically designated for the accommodation of elderly persons is approximately 1,730. The persons who occupy these beds are in varying stages of incapacity: they range from persons who are completely bed-fast and incapable of looking after themselves to some who are reasonably active. In addition, there are 822 elderly persons who are patients in psychiatric hospitals maintained by the Health Authority.
As far as it has been possible to ascertain, the number of places in voluntary homes for aged persons in the Dublin Health Authority area is in the region of 1,300.
35.
asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the remarks made by the Chief Medical Officer of Dublin with regard to the possibility of Dublin Corporation joining with the Dublin Health Authority in providing housing for the over seventy age group; and what progress is being made with any such scheme.
I have noted the remarks of the Dublin Chief Medical Officer which appeared in his Annual Report for 1963 in which he indicated that he would like to see housing accommodation, specially designed for those over 70 years of age, provided and a certain amount of supervision and assistance of the elderly occupants also provided as part of the scheme.
The provision of housing is of course a matter for the housing authority which, in the case of Dublin, is the Dublin Corporation. The health authority could provide such supportive medical, nursing and ancillary services as would make it possible for the old people concerned to remain in the community as long as possible. I would like to emphasise that the provision of such supportive services by the health authority would receive my full support.
In connection with the Chief Medical Officer's Report preliminary discussions took place between officers of the Dublin Health Authority and officers of the Dublin Corporation. Due to the housing emergency which arose in Dublin city, it is understood that further consideration of the precise recommendation of the Chief Medical Officer has necessarily been deferred for the time being but it will be appreciated that the housing authority have been giving special attention to the housing of the aged and they have been specially provided for in a number of schemes completed in recent years.