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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 12 Dec 1972

Vol. 264 No. 6

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Care of Old People.

13.

asked the Minister for Health whether consideration has been given to the establishment of a national service in co-operation with local authorities whereby trained social workers would visit old people who are living on their own, maintain contact with them and ensure that their needs in respect of medicine and food are met; and whether consideration has been given to the devising of a State-aided care plan for looking after old people in their homes.

As part of their normal function, health boards provide a domiciliary medical and nursing service for those, including the aged, who require such services. A special register of elderly persons is maintained in each area by public health nurses who undertake such visitation as may be required. Over 700 public health nurses are employed for this and other purposes by area health boards throughout the country.

In order to promote and expand community services for the aged, a special scheme of grants was initiated in 1968 to enable area health boards to encourage voluntary agencies to accept greater responsibility in this respect. The amount authorised to be spent by health boards on this service has grown from £50,000 to £300,000 in the current year.

To assist health boards and voluntary agencies in using these funds to the best advantage three social work advisers have been appointed to my Department for organisation and liaison purposes. I am glad to be able to say that there has been a steady growth in the number of social service councils and other voluntary bodies active in this field. The social service councils are representative of all sections of the community, including officers of health boards, in their areas of operation and they have helped considerably in co-ordinating the social work of voluntary agencies with that of the statutory authorities.

Central guidance and co-ordination will be provided by the National Social Service Council which I established last year. Professional social workers are employed by social service councils, by other voluntary agencies and by health boards. Apart from domiciliary medical and nursing care, the range of services provided for the aged may include chiropody, physiotherapy, laundry, meals-on-wheels, assistance with home decoration and repairs, and the provision of material aids such as bedding, clothing and fuel.

In addition to the sum of £300,000 provided for the community care service, I have provided £150,000 in the current year for the development of a home help service. The general scheme is explained in a leaflet prepared in my Department last year. I circulated copies of that leaflet to Deputies with the documentation in regard to my Estimate earlier this year. For the Deputy's convenience I am sending him a further copy.

I wish to make it clear that in my view the responsibility of domiciliary care should rest wherever possible with voluntary organisations assisted in the way I have described above.

Despite what the Minister says, does it not appear, especially at this time of year, that there are too many deaths of elderly people that are not discovered for a number of days, too many deaths caused, apparently, by lack of facilities for these elderly persons? Does it not seem there is a lack of co-ordination in the sense that, apart from those voluntary groups, nobody seems to be involved sufficiently in looking after elderly people?

I agree with the Deputy, without specific reference to what he says, that a great deal has to be done to develop voluntary services in co-ordination with the public health service. A new programme manager for community services has now been appointed to the Eastern Health Board. There were delays for various reasons that we were unable to overcome; but now that a programme manager has been appointed his duty is to establish in the first instance some pilot areas within the Eastern Health Board area in order to see how best to operate a complete community service. Community services are still lacking but progress is being made gradually.

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