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O’ROURKE WELCOMES ADDITIONAL HOME SUPPORT HOURS

Frank O’Rourke TD has welcomed the one million additional home support hours which was announced in Budget 2020 but stated that more needs to be done to tackle long waiting lists for Home Care hours

“Leading up to Budget 2020, our Fianna Fáil negotiating team pushed hard to secure additional home help hours. The additional one million hours will go some way towards easing waiting times but more is needed.”

“Families seeking home care packages contact me on a weekly basis. There has been an increased in the number of people seeking home care packages and we need extra resources to meet the demand.

“Fianna Fáil introduced the Home Care Package in 2006 and fully appreciates its value. Enabling care for people in their own home is a win win for everyone. It is generally the preferred choice for older people and their families and it save the Government money. “

“A crisis in home care supports has escalated over the past year. The service has been unable to keep pace with the demand and while the additional hours announced in the budget is a welcome step in the right direction, we need to see more resources for home care packages.”

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O’ROURKE PRESSES FOR GREATER SUPPORT FOR OLDER PEOPLE

Frank O’Rourke TD has pressed the Government for additional resources to support older people

Deputy O’Rourke made the comments following a meeting with his Party colleague and Fianna Fail Spokesperson on Social Affairs, Willie O’Dea TD.

“I know from my weekly clinics, the lack of home care packages and inadequate resources for the Fair Deal scheme among other issues are a real concern for older people.” Continue reading “O’ROURKE PRESSES FOR GREATER SUPPORT FOR OLDER PEOPLE”

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O’ROURKE DEMANDS ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR HOMECARE

Frank O’Rourke TD has pressed the Government for additional resources to be provided for Home Care Packages for the Kildare region, a region falling behind other areas in terms of the number of packages needed.

Frank commented, “Winter can be a very difficult time for older people and their families. It’s also a period when hospitals are under pressure. As I established earlier in 2018, the Kildare Wicklow region has a significantly higher waiting list for Home care packages than other area. In June, we had 724 people on the waiting list, which proportionally was much higher than other areas.”

“It makes little sense to delay giving home care supports to people that need them and have been approved by the HSE to get them. It goes against the Government’s stated aim of ensuring people can continue living in their home if they so choose to do so. It is also leading to unnecessary overcrowding in our hospitals. There are many older people in hospitals that are ready to be discharged but are unable to return home as the necessary home care supports have not been put in place.” Continue reading “O’ROURKE DEMANDS ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR HOMECARE”

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Frank O’Rourke – Waiting lists for Homecare Packages Unacceptable

Frank O’Rourke has criticised the Government for failing to properly resource the Home Care Scheme.

Deputy O’Rourke made the comments after obtaining information which shows that 724 people in the CHO 7 Hospital Group, which includes Kildare, West Wicklow and parts of Dublin, are currently waiting for home care supports.

Deputy O’Rourke said, “It’s unacceptable that so many older people are waiting for access to vital home care supports. These people have already been assessed by the HSE and it has been determined that they need additional home care supports. It’s perfectly clear for all to see that the Government simply isn’t providing the necessary resources to ensure people get access to the home care supports that they need.

“I have raised this issue directly with HSE management and have asked for details on how the waiting list for home care supports will be cleared. The replies that I have received to date leave a lot to be desired as the HSE have made it clear that they do not have the funding needed to meet demand. HSE management have said that the matter is in the hands of the Minister for Health Simon Harris for consideration.

“It makes little sense to delay giving home care supports to people that need them. It goes against the Government’s stated aim of ensuring people can continue living in their home if they so choose to do so. It is also leading to unnecessary overcrowding in our hospitals. There are many older people in hospitals that are ready to be discharged but are unable to return home as the necessary home care supports have not been put in place.

“Minister Harris and his Government colleagues need to ensure that the Home Care Support Scheme is properly resourced. We all know that there are limited resources, but the current situation is only leading to increases costs in the long run due to overcrowding in hospitals and a scarcity of beds in nursing homes,” concluded Deputy O’Rourke.

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O’ROURKE CALLS FOR MORE SUPPORTS FOR OLDER PEOPLE

Frank O’Rourke, has again highlighted the need to provide supports for older people, as CSO figures show a significant increase in the number of older people acting as carers for their loved ones and relatives.

Between 2011 and 2016, there has been nearly a 20% increase, from 24,746 to 29,311, in the number of people, aged 65 years or older, providing care for their loved ones.

“Since being elected, I have highlighted the need to prepare for the change in demographics.  In 2006, there were 468,000 people aged 65 or older in Ireland, but by 2041, the number of people in this country aged 65 or older will be 1.4 million.” Continue reading “O’ROURKE CALLS FOR MORE SUPPORTS FOR OLDER PEOPLE”