Hospitals have been told the number of delayed discharges — patients whose acute part of their care has ended — must be reduced on a continuous basis so that the figure does not exceed 500.

Critical care standards at the Áras Attracta disability centre in Mayo were not being met a month after footage emerged showing residents being fore-fed, kicked and slapped, an inspection by the Health Information and Quality Authority found.

We need to tackle age discrimination and recognise the valuable contribution of older people, writes Bette Browne

Child Benefit is to increase by €5 per child from next January with a promise of an identical rise in 2016 so long as the economic recovery continues.

Health insurance reforms designed to get more people to sign up for private health cover and to do so at an earlier age may fall short of expectations.

The process of transforming the Department of Social Protection into an active and engaged employment service will continue, new Labour leader, Joan Burton insisted yesterday.

Transport Minister Leo Varadkar expressed support for the retention of the travel pass for older people as Age Action launched a campaign to protect it.

Ireland is set to bask in the high 20s today as the country enjoys a mini heatwave.

Older people’s charities have called for greater action against elder abuse, with figures showing an average of almost 2,000 suspected cases formally reported to health authorities every year.

Hundreds of elderly people in nursing homes have been losing medical cards because their payments towards their care are not considered in assessments of their income.

The disability sector said they fear people with disabilities and their families will still be penalised by water charges, despite the concessions announced yesterday, while advocacy groups for older people gave the preliminary water charges scheme a cautious welcome.

There were 373 alerts over alleged or confirmed abuse of residents in long term care homes for the elderly to the inspections watchdog, last year, a report reveals.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has defended the (average) €240 water charge as a water-saving measure.

Nursing home inspectors received 373 reports of alleged, suspected or confirmed abuse of older people last year.

The advertising industry’s lack of interest in old people reflects a societal failing, says John Hearne.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has reiterated a pledge that homeowners will know how much they must pay in water charges before next month’s elections amid concerns that a fixed rate may be slapped on consumers.

The GAA has come under further attack for its decision to sell broadcasting rights to Sky Sports with claims people on low incomes and particularly the elderly will be sidelined from enjoying key matches.

Plans for nursing home residents to be hit with extra costs to have access to “toiletries” and other vital services would completely undermine existing policies meant to ensure their care.

A record number of pensioners are seeking potentially lifesaving monitored personal alarms under the State’s seniors alert scheme.

Vulnerable elderly and disabled people will have to abandon independent living for institutional care due to sweeping benefit changes, groups have warned.

Families are being urged to check on their elderly relatives and neighbours in the run-up to planned power outages.

Ireland’s levy on pensions may last indefinitely in the light of the Government decision to change the operation of employees’ defined benefit schemes.

Brendan Howlin, the public expenditure minister, has put himself on a collision course with the HSE, warning it must sign up to his cost cutting plan laid down in last week’s budget.

Environment Minister Phil Hogan has said extra state funds will be made available for security alert systems for elderly people following the abolition of the phone allowance in the budget.

Social Protection Minister Joan Burton has defended the Government’s controversial decision to scrap the telephone allowance amid claims it would adversely affect vulnerable older people.

As budget speeches go, it was a workaday effort from Finance Minister Michael Noonan to a nation jaded by austerity.

The Government has unveiled a combination of measures which will increase hardship for the most vulnerable elderly in our society forcing more to turn to charities for help, it has been claimed.

As Budget speeches go, it was workaday performance from Michael Noonan to a nation jaded by austerity.

Pensioners are having to choose between food and fuel and some are going to bed as early as 7pm to keep warm, Age Action said yesterday as it called on the Government not to touch the State pension or free travel pension in the upcoming budget.

It is all very well for the Taoiseach to declare — as he did on RTÉ radio yesterday — that next month’s budget will be the last of the “really tough ones”.

Older people are suffering from "real tension and fear" ahead of the Budget, according to Age Action Ireland.

LISTENING to Pat Kenny chat and effortlessly negotiate a packed radio schedule on Newstalk, he has made a seamless switch from RTÉ, where he had a 41-year tenure.

Criminals are targeting elderly and vulnerable bank customers by distracting them at ATMs and stealing their cards.

The Government is looking at the possibility of cutting the old-age pension in order to meet its budget targets, according to reports.

THREE years ago, Evelyn Wainwright’s husband had a stroke. As she too is disabled, suddenly changing a light bulb or fixing the smoke alarm became impossible tasks.

There has been a 7% increase in cases of elder abuse referred to the HSE last year, almost half of which was carried out by a son or daughter.

People are being urged to check in on our elderly neighbours or relatives this weekend - as the heatwave continues.

Ireland’s summer is set to continue for another week, according to Met Éireann.

Gardaí are weeks away from approving measures to combat rural crime despite growing fears over a renewed spate of attacks on elderly people.

Social Protection Minister Joan Burton says she will be making every effort to protect core social welfare rates as she considers how new savings of €440m are to be achieved next year.

Cuts to income and services have left pensioners at breaking point, it was claimed today.

AGEISM is the most common form of discrimination in the workplace in Ireland and is predicted to get worse when the retirement age is pushed back to 68.

A lower carbon tax on smokeless solid fuels is being considered in a bid to encourage more people to use them, according to Environment Minister Phil Hogan.

Concerns have been expressed over the welfare of the elderly as the introduction of a carbon tax on solid fuels comes into effect today.