State strives to have the elderly cared for at home

A MAJOR drive is to be launched by the State to keep more elderly people out of nursing homes.

Tánaiste and Health Minister Mary Harney is now aiming to increase the number of home care packages from 3,000 to 15,000.

She told a SIPTU conference on the care of older people in Dublin yesterday that she intends putting a huge emphasis on the benefits of supporting older people so that they could live at home.