Vol. 507 No. 4
150 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Health and Children the proposals, if any, he is considering from the Eastern Health Board to cater for the number of Alzheimer patients on the northside of Dublin in view of the fact there are demands and needs for nursing home spaces, a day care centre near Santry, Dublin 9, and more respite care places; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17197/99]
The provision of services for Alzheimer patients in Dublin's northside is a matter in the first instance for the Eastern Health Board. I understand from the Eastern Health Board that there are two day centres on the northside which specially cater for those suffering from Alzheimers – St. Gabriels, Edenmore and Sybil Hill, Raheny – both of which are funded or part-funded by the Eastern Health Board.
In community care areas six and seven which covers the northside of the city, the department of psychiatry of old age offers a range of services for patients who develop a functional mental illness and Alzheimers. In excess of 100 beds are available to the psychiatry of old age services and there is also access to a limited number of contract private nursing home places. There is also access to psychiatric beds to patients under 65 with a mental illness and Alzheimers through their catchment area service.
At present there is no dedicated old age psychiatry services in community care area eight, which covers parts of Dublin's northside and north County Dublin. The general psychiatric service based on St. Ita's Hospital offers a range of acute and residential places to patients suffering from a mental illness and Alzheimers. Patients over 65 with Alzheimers who exhibit no behaviour disturbance are also catered for in the Eastern Health Board's hospitals and homes for older people on the northside.
151 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Health and Children his views on the ongoing concern of elderly parents of adult handicapped children on the difficulty of getting long stay residential places; if the State looks after the financial needs of these handicapped adults; if the various agencies in the care field have a quota of places for applicants who would have personnel means or a trust fund in their cause; the way in which parents can process these applications; and if financial resources will help their case. [17198/99]
I am aware of the concern of parents, and especially elderly parents, of adults with an intellectual disability in relation to access to the residential services. Since my appointment as Minister for Health I have allocated additional revenue and capital funding amounting to £53 million, increasing to £59 million, in 2000 to enhance the level of services, and in particular residential and respite services, available to persons with an intellectual disability and their families.
