Only 18 social workers to care for elderly population

ONLY a handful of social workers are charged with looking after the tens of thousands of elderly people still living at home across the country, according to the Irish Association of Social Workers (IASW).

In Dublin, there are just three community social workers with responsibility for the elderly. The IASW said the reason there are only 18 social workers supporting elderly people across the whole country is that much of the community resources are directed at children at risk.

The IASW has called for the balance to be restored by ensuring that the 32 planned senior case worker positions, recommended by a 2002 Department of Health report on elder abuse, are filled solely by social workers.