Nursing home scheme is a fairer deal, says Harney

OLDER people and their families will be getting a fairer deal from the Government’s nursing home funding scheme, Health Minister Mary Harney insisted yesterday.

The minister pointed out that some families were paying up to €40,000 a year to pay for their parents’ long-term nursing care.

Families of older people had been forced to remortgage their home or take out an equity release to pay for their care.