asked the Minister for Health if he will furnish the following information in respect of (a) the Eastern Health Board area, (b) the South-Eastern Health Board area, (c) the Midland Health Board area, (d) the Western Health Board area, (e) the North Western Health Board area, (f) the North Eastern Health Board area, (g) the Mid-Western Health Board area, and (h) the Southern Health Board area, namely, (1) the number of institutional places available for nursing care for the elderly; (2) their location; (3) the average cost per bed per week; and (4) if he is satisfied that the number is sufficient to meet the demand.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Nursing Care for Elderly.
The reply to queries (1), (2) and (3) is in the form of a tabular statement and I propose, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to circulate it with the Official Report.
The inter-departmental committee on the care of the aged in its report published in 1968 recommended that 35 long-stay and welfare beds should be provided per 1,000 population aged 65 years and over and the beds available in the various health board areas generally meet this ratio.
Accommodation available for nursing care of the elderly.
(1) |
(2) |
(3) |
||
Number of institutional places available |
Location of accommodation |
Estimated average weekly cost per bed (1977) |
||
County |
Number of Places |
|||
(a) Eastern |
4,481 |
Dublin (City & County)County WicklowCounty Kildare |
3,639552290 |
£46 |
(b) South Eastern |
1,796 |
County WaterfordCounty WexfordCounty KilkennyCounty CarlowCounty Tipperary (SR) |
636335262170393 |
£35 |
(c) Midland |
856 |
County WestmeathCounty LongfordCounty LaoisCounty Offaly |
286200200170 |
£47 |
(d) Western |
1,495 |
County GalwayCounty MayoCounty Roscommon |
604508383 |
£40 |
(e) North Western |
1,076 |
County DonegalCounty LeitrimCounty Sligo |
317228531 |
£42 |
(f) North Eastern |
1,246 |
County MonaghanCounty CavanCounty LouthCounty Meath |
277338364267 |
£46 |
(g) Mid-Western |
1,966 |
County LimerickCounty ClareCounty Tipperary (NR) |
948598420 |
£45 |
(h) Southern |
1,869 |
County CorkCounty Kerry |
1,339530 |
£43 |
NOTE: In addition to the beds shown in column (1) there are beds in district hospitals for nursing care of elderly patients. It has not been possible, however, to determine the numbers of beds in the district hospitals being used for this purpose.