Frank O’Rourke TD has said Home Care Packages should be added as an option as part of the Fair Deal Scheme
“Earlier this year, Fianna Fail introduced the Nursing Home Support Scheme (amendment Bill) 2016, which will facilitate the use of the Fair Deal Scheme model for Home Care Packages. The Bill passed through to the second stage of the legislative process and is now scheduled to come before the Dail again in July” stated Deputy O’Rourke.
“My experience with my constituents who attend my weekly clinic in relation to care for their elderly parents or relations, is that many families are choosing care at home rather than residential care. On average, it costs three times as much to care for someone in a nursing home than in their own home.”
“Our ageing population means that the demand for home care services and residential care will continue to increase in the years ahead. The Fair Deal Scheme currently only caters for residential care and our Bill aims to change that. We want to see Home Care Packages offered to people who qualify for Residential Care under the Fair Deal Scheme which would allow more people be cared for in their own homes.”
“The Fianna Fáil Bill will allow for the provision of a Home Care Package to people who have applied for the Fair Deal Scheme as long as the cost is equal to or less than the cost of long term residential care.”
“From my understanding there is general public support for this measure and I hope that all parties will agree with this proposal. I welcome the consultation process which Minister McEntee has recently commissioned into the sustainability and cost-measures associated with home care”