Mentally disabled face residential care wait
Despite record levels of service provision and significant investment in disability services, there are 2,118 people with an intellectual disability waiting for residential services, an increase of 110 on last year’s figure.
In the past 30 years, the proportion of disabled people over 35 years of age who are severely intellectually disabled, has increased from 29% to 47%, a study shows.
People with intellectual disability are also living longer, which means more people require services for a longer time.
The National Intellectual Disability Data Base, published yesterday by the Health Research Board (HRB), also shows that demand is likely to outstrip the provision of new residential places over the coming years.
HRB research analyst and co-author of the report, Caraiosa Kelly, said high birth rates over 40 years ago were contributing to the ongoing demand. People with intellectual disability were also living longer.
“If the demand for residential services continues to rise at the rate observed in the HRB national data base over the past three years, only a proportion of the existing and emerging needs in this area will be addressed,” she warned.
Residential support services have grown significantly over the past 10 years, with more than 4,200 people availing of this type of support. But almost 2,000 people who do not receive residential support services, such as respite care now, will need these services over the next five years.
In 2006, there were 25,518 people registered on the National Intellectual Database, compiled by the HRB on behalf of the Department of Health and Children. Almost three in every five have a severe intellectual disability and almost a third receive full-time residential services.
Inclusion Ireland, the National Association for people with an Intellectual Disability, has called for an independent audit of the database.
“Questions must be asked as to why after a period of investment since the late 1990s these figures remain so high,” said Inclusion Ireland’s spokesperson, Cliona Ní Chualáin.
While the growth in demand could be explained by demographic factors, higher staff costs and changing needs, these explanations did not account fully for ever-increasing waiting lists.
And, she said, it was just as crucial that any funding provided must be monitored carefully.
“Quality and standards within services can only be assured when they are independently monitored. There is no mechanism in place for this at present,” she stressed.
