Home Help & Care at Home

HOME HELP AND CARE AT HOME Helping people stay in their homes is essential The Home Help Service is aimed at meeting the needs of ageing and vulnerable people in the community, who through illness or disability are in need of help with day to day, and often very practical tasks. Sinn Féin view Home Help as a vital service, allowing people to remain in their homes and communities while receiving supports that see the

retention of both their dignity and autonomy.

In our Better 4 Health document we have committed to investing in Home Help as part of our overall health strategy. Sinn Féin believes this could alleviate some of the crises which people currently experience on a daily basis in their dealings with our sub-standard health service.

“Increase home help hours and homecare packages in year one by 10 per cent at an estimated cost of €31 million and by a further 10 per cent on the baseline year in years two and three with a resulting rise in spending of €93 million”.

In the medium term, we very strongly believe that the Home Help scheme and Homecare packages must be put on a statutory basis.

The crises in our hospitals are partly a reflection of inefficiencies within the system. In the main it is directly due to lack of capacity of staff and beds; exit packages, including home help hours and home care packages; to name but a few.

The current State policy of care for older people is based on two pillars: firstly, financial support for nursing home residence; and secondly, the provision of home help, home care and day care for older people living in their own homes.

While most care is provided for people living in their own homes, the bulk of State spending is on nursing homes.

In 2015, €315 million was allocated for home help and home care, compared to €933 million for nursing home support. The Government are taking a very short term view of care for the elderly and most vulnerable, with a false economy, and displays a short sightedness on the part of successive Governments The vast majority of older people prefer to live out their lives in their own homes if at all possible, a desire shared by their families generally. We require a paradigm shirt and complete refocusing of what older people want; allowing for their autonomy and independence to be respected.

Current government policy is supposedly oriented in this direction, but it has failed in practice. Cuts to home help, home care, housing adaptation grants, carers’ supports, and other services have resulted in more

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire TD

Working for our Community – Ag obair don Phobail

There is currently no one full time in the position of people than necessary going into long-term residential Home Help Organiser for South Lee which is unlikely to be care. assisting the situation, and particularly when compared, Older people requiring care and assistance with daily even to North Lee, where the number of cases unallocated living are looked after by unpaid family or friends in their April 2017. If that is the case, that vacancy needs to be filled as a matter of urgency, because there due to financial constraints has gone from 171 in Dec 2015 homes. (See image below) Therefore, it is vital that the role countless people and who are current waiting State on home help, and extra assistance, might tofor 39whom in Aprilthat 2017.

If that is the case, that vacancy needs to of carersare is fully recognised that supports allow them to return home, or reduce pressure on family members, or allow them to live more be filled as a matter of urgency, because there are countless for carers are enhanced. independently. people who are waiting on home help, and for whom Sinn Féin opposed the cut of €325 that was made by the that extra assistance, might allow them to return home, or government to the Respite Care Grant and provided for its Thousands of families rely enormously upon Home Help, and I am dealing with people on a reduce pressure on family members, or allow them to live restoration in each of our annual Alternative Budgets.

Sinn Féin bewcalling Minister forhHealth daily will basis ho are on in the need of home elp, and entitled more to it, aindependently. nd can't get it. It is central to Thousands of families rely enormously upon Home Help, Simon Harris, to increase home help hours and homecare people's wellbeing, health and indeed their dignity, to have that assistance on a regular and I am dealing with people on a daily basis who are in packages, and in particular in South Lee where this system need of home help, and entitled to it, and can't get it. It is plainlybasis. under enormous pressure. is central to people's wellbeing, health and indeed their As of April, 350 people have been allocated Home dignity, to have that on a regular basis.

Help in Finally, South Lee but ihave not received it due tothe financial below s a paragraph taken from latest Census showing that as oassistance f April 2016 Finally, below is a paragraph taken from the latest Census constraints on the HSE’s part. This is simply not good 3,800 children under the age of 14 were providing unpaid care, the extract also shows that showing that as of April 2016 3,800 children under the age enough, and leaves a lot to be desired in regards to the people over the age of 65 Help; were and providing are. of c14 were providing unpaid care, the extract also shows Minister29,311 for Health’s dealings with Home showsunpaid that 29,311 people over the age of 65 were providing a sheer disregard of some of the most vulnerable people in unpaid Cork. This is further evidence of the chronic underinvestment in the care. area, and the challenges we This is further evidence of the chronic underinvestment Hundreds of families in Cork, and in particularly in the face to go some way in protecting and supporting some of society’s most vulnerable in the area, and the challenges we face to go some way Southside and surrounding areas are being let down here. in protecting and supporting some of society’s most It’s also citizens. very unfair on those working in the sector, who are vulnerable citizens. finding it harder to get work all the time.

Working for our Community – Ag obair don Phobail

Issued by Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire TD

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire TD

0612

http://www.cso.ie/en/media/csoie/newsevents/documents/census2016summaryresultspart2/Chapter_9_Health,_disability_and_caring.pdf

http://www.cso.ie/en/media/csoie/newsevents/documents/census2016summaryresultspart2/Chap because there are countless people who are waiting There ister_9_Health,_disability_and_caring.pdf which may be contributing, and particularly

on home help, and for whom that extra assistance, when compared, even to North Lee, where it has

might allow them to return home, or reduce pressure gone from 171 in Dec 2015 to 39 in April 2017. If on family members, or allow them to live more that is the case, that vacancy needs There is which may be contributing, and particularly when compared, even to North Lee, where it independently. to be filled as a matter of urgency, has gone from 171 in Dec 2015 to 39 in April 2017. If that is the case, that vacancy needs to be filled