asked the Minister for Health the current estimated shortage of geriatric beds in the Dublin city and county areas.
Written Answers. - Dublin Geriatric Beds.
272.
Geriatric beds include beds for geriatric assessment, for rehabilitation, for extended nursing care and also beds in welfare homes. The planning guidelines for these requirements are set out in the Report of the Inter-departmental Committee on the Care of the Aged, 1968. When applied to the elderly population of Dublin these guidelines indicate that the numbers of beds available, many of which are in private nursing homes, are sufficient to meet requirements.
This matter is at present under examination, in relation to the demand being experienced for accommodation for elderly persons in south Dublin, by a working group representing the Federated Dublin Voluntary Hospitals, the Eastern Health Board and the Department of Health. This group is at present preparing its report.