State could save €224m on elderly care with renovations

The Government could save €224m a year in the cost of caring for older people by improving home-based services and resourcing properly sheltered housing, a new study shows.

The housing agency Clúid yesterday launched a research report which highlights that the majority of elderly people want to stay in their own home and should be able to do so with appropriate supports.

Clúid’s spokesman Simon Brooke said: “It is widely agreed that the best outcomes for older people occur when they stay in their own homes. This is also the most cost-effective option in almost all cases.”