asked the Minister for Health if he will consider having an investigation into the number of needy senior citizens living alone or in couples in the Dublin city area, carried out with a view to co-ordinating the efforts being made for their better care.
Written Answers. - Needy Senior Citizens.
186.
According to the 1971 Census, there are approximately 8,768 persons aged 65 and over living on their own in the Dublin city area. While there is no precise figure of the number of needy senior citizens living alone or in couples in the area, since 1966 each public health nurse compiles and keeps up to date a register of old people resident in her district to ensure that all necessary community care facilities are provided for these people.
It is the policy of my Department to encourage each community to organise all its resources, both statutory and voluntary, so that a flexible response can be made to the social and medical needs of the aged at all times.