Demand for full-time care for intellectually disabled people at all-time high

DEMAND for full-time residential care for people with intellectual disabilities is at an all-time high, a report shows.

It warns that only a fraction of the need for residential care places will be met if demand for places continue to rise.

The National Intellectual Disability Database (NIDD) 2004 shows that 8,093 people are in full-time care, the highest level since records began in 1996. It also says the Government is only providing 270 additional full-time residential care places at a time when almost 2,000 places are needed. Needs identified for 2005-2009 are:

1,839 full-time residential places up 117 since 2003.

347 day placements, a decrease of 199 since 2003.

1,763 residential support services, such as respite services, up 126 from 2003.

Funding outlined in the Government's spending Estimates for next year will add 270 residential places, 90 respite places and 400 day places, in addition to new frontline staff and increasing the availability of home support services.

Research analyst at the HRB and co-author of the report, Steve Barron, says the proportion of people over 35 with a severe disability increased from 29% in 1974 to 46% in 2004. "This change in the age profile would help explain the ongoing demand for full-time residential services," he says.

The head of disability databases division at the Health Research Board, Fiona Mulvany, said the report identifies regional distribution of service provision and service need. "This will prove to be a valuable tool to government when they seek to allocate funding."