Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 28 October 2004
168 Mr. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she proposes to engage in discussion with the Department of Social and Family Affairs with a view to expanding, liberalising and improving facilities for carers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26616/04]
View answerMy Department's policy on care of older people is to maintain them in dignity and independence in their own home for as long as possible in accordance with their wishes. This policy was first enunciated in the Care of the Aged Report which was published in 1968 and confirmed in the report, The Years Ahead, A Policy for the Elderly, published in 1988. Numerous research studies have shown that the vast majority of older people have a preference to remain living in their own home for as long as possible rather than moving into long-stay residential care. Indeed, the preferred option for most families is to help care for their elderly relatives at home for as long as possible with the assistance of local health service staff.
My Department has been encouraging the Eastern Regional Health Authority and the health boards to introduce personal care packages for older people as an alternative to long-stay residential care. Personal care packages are specifically designed for the individual concerned and could possibly include the provision of a home help service, home subvention payments, arrangements for attendance at a day centre or day hospital and other services such as twilight nursing. Personal care packages allow older persons the option of remaining living in their own home rather than going into long-stay residential care. Additional funding of €1.25 million was made available to the authority-health boards this year for the introduction of personal care packages. This is on top of the significant expenditure currently being incurred on home help and other services aimed at supporting people at home.
As the Deputy will be aware, primary responsibility for issues relating to carers is a matter for my colleague the Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Deputy Brennan. Officials of my Department engage on a regular basis with their counterparts in the Department of Social and Family affairs on matters in which they have a mutual interest including the position of carers and those in receipt of care.
