Research into sheltered housing for elderly villagers

LOCAL government officials are to examine the possibility of creating sheltered housing schemes for elderly people in villages throughout Co Cork, after it was claimed this could save “massive money” for the State on nursing home bills.

The issue was raised by Councillor Noel Collins (Ind), a social worker who has studied the situation in detail, who said that many elderly people were taking up nursing home beds where in fact they would be able to live in their own communities if the appropriate sheltered accommodation was on offer.

“Housing policies for the elderly tend to be limited between encouraging people to live as long at home as possible, and moving into a nursing home. Elderly people deserve a greater range of housing and care options. Community-based sheltered housing can be financially supported for less than one-tenth of the cost of nursing homes,” he said.