Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 17 Feb 1993

Vol. 426 No. 2

Written Answers. - Services for the Elderly.

Richard Bruton

Question:

115 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Health if he has established targets for the development of occupational and other therapy services in health board long stay homes; and if he will make a statement on the progress being made towards these targets, with particular reference to the Eastern Health Board area.

Minister for Health (Mr. Howlin)

The objectives of Government health policy, as set out in the report — The Years Ahead — A Policy for the Elderly is to support the care of dependent elderly people at home for as long as possible and to ensure that when the elderly can no longer be cared for at home, that there are appropriate specialist and extended care facilities to meet their needs. The priorities of service development at present are to strengthen the capacity of the health services to care for the person at home, to provide more specialist facilities in acute hospitals and to meet the needs of the increasing numbers of elderly mentally infirm.

Considerable progress has been made towards implementing the recommendations contained in The Years Ahead. In recent years an additional £9 million was made available to the health boards to develop services for the elderly. This extra funding has enabled the health boards to expand home nursing services, to provide day centres and hospitals, to increase the number of physiotherapists and speech therapists to the community and to develop service for the old with dementia.

Particular emphasis has been placed on the development of assessment units for the elderly in general hospitals and the provision of extended care places. The development of specialist geriatric departments and the appointment of consultant geriatricians in general hospitals has been one of the most significant advances in the care of the elderly. These departments are now operating in 11 general hospitals around the country. Arrangements to open departments are at an advanced stage in five other general hospitals. The departments in operation at present have shown that they restore the overwhelming majority of patients to independent living quickly through a combination of prompt admission of elderly patients to hospital, specialist diagnosis and treatment, skilled nursing and rehabilitation, and in many cases continuing support in a day hospital on discharge.

In the Eastern Health Board area, occupational therapy is available in the assessment/rehabilitation units of the general hospitals and in all the board's institutions. The board has also developed a programme of Diversional Therapy in its long stay homes. The board feel that Diversional Therapy is more appropriate to the needs of long term residents. This therapy encourages residents to develop their hobbies and interests such as arts and crafts and is constantly being expanded and developed.