Nursing homes warn of closures

NURSING home owner representatives yesterday pledged to make long-stay care an election issue on the doorsteps.

The Government was warned that increased pressure on owners over revised standards would see 6,000 nursing home beds lost over the next year. The Irish Nursing Homes Organisation (INHO) made the stark warning as it launched a manifesto outlining radical changes needed in the sector.

“With new environmental standards, they (the Government) want 80% of rooms as single with en-suite,” said INHO chief executive Tadhg Daly.

Labour costs, including rebuilding rooms, should be subsided by grants, say the INHO. These concerns were evident recently when relatives of public residents at one north Dublin home, St Margaret’s, were told they would be replaced by private patients in order to foot renovation works demanded by inspectors.

The potential closures signalled by the INHO would mean nearly a fifth of the state’s 28,000 nursing home beds would close down.

Nearly 30 TDs and senators were canvassed by the INHO yesterday ahead of the general election, as it sought assurances from across the political parties on care for the elderly. It is anticipated that by 2021 the number of Irish people aged 80 and over will jump to nearly 140,000. The increased dependency in the population must be prepared for, warned the INHO.

Owners are concerned over:

Acute admissions to homes with complications such as MRSA, complex medicine and care regimes.

Irish spending on the elderly is one of the lowest among developed countries.

‘Negative’ media reports on individual homes tainting the sector.

Plans to subvent only high-dependency residents.

The lack of inspections in public nursing homes.

Delayed legislation to enact independent inspections.

Including the family home in residents’ means tests.

“As a nation we will have to pay more for long-term care in the years ahead. There is considerable evidence that the current system is already under-funded.

If the system is not regarded as fair, transparent and equitable then it is unlikely to prove to be sustainable,” added Mr Daly.

“Long-stay care requires priority attention by all political parties in the forthcoming general election and in subsequent discussions on the next programme for Government,” he added.