Fears fuel poverty will cause more elderly to die

More elderly people could die in Ireland because of rising energy costs and the reduction in fuel allowance, a health expert has warned.

Dr Anne O’Farrell, from the HSE’s Health Intelligence Unit, said the increase in fuel prices, together with the reduction of the fuel allowance from 32 weeks to 26, could carry long-term social and health costs.

Dr O’Farrell, a speaker at Energy Action’s Fuel Poverty conference in Dublin Castle yesterday, said more than one in five households in Ireland received the fuel allowance last year.

More than 264,000 (15.3%) of homes received the fuel allowance in 2005, with the figure increasing to 400,000 (23.7%) households by 2011.

She said: “Although there has been an overall decrease in mortality for all ages and, in particular, the elderly, the excess winter mortality rate among the elderly continues.”

The study, presented by Dr O’Farrell and HSE community health doctor, Dr Elizabeth Cullen, found that since 2005, there were 3,233 more deaths among those aged 65 years and older in winter than in summer.

More than half of the deaths were due to respiratory diseases, while almost 40% were due to circulatory conditions.

There were just over 8,000 more emergency hospital admissions of patients over the age of 65 during the winter over the five-year period.

Most of the excess hospital admissions were due to respiratory disease.

An extra 153,028 bed days were used by older patients over the winter, representing an additional spend or around €61 million.

Dr Cullen said fewer people with cardiovascular and respiratory diseases died over the winter in countries like Norway were the season was much harsher.

She said it may be that poor heating and housing in Ireland might be responsible for more older people dying over the winter.

Another speaker, Prof Christine Liddell from the School of Psychology at Ulster University, said fuel poverty could be largely eliminated over the next 10 years, with the re-framing of fuel poverty as a public health risk and using statutory instruments to involve the private sector

Eamon Timmins, head of advocacy and communications at Age Action, said nobody should have to choose between food and fuel, yet many pensioners were making that very choice across Ireland.

Welcoming the publication of the Government’s affordable energy strategy, Mr Timmins said the Department of Social Protection could play a key role in short listing people more likely to be experiencing fuel poverty.

“Older people living alone and on low incomes are more likely to be experiencing fuel poverty.

“Identifying them through social protection payments could make the process more efficient,” Mr Timmins said.