Care for the elderly - Policy change a welcome if belated move

It remains to be seen whether the new Government policy on care for the elderly will prove to be the fair deal which it has been billed by Health Minister Mary Harney.

To be as good as she stipulated it will be, would require a veritable quantum leap from the “scrappy, inconsistent and unfair system” that even the Minister admits exists today.

That system has been in place for the past 13 years and a very sceptical public would have to be forgiven for harbouring the thought that the looming General Election is the major consideration behind the decision to change it.

For whatever reason it is being changed, it is good that the appalling system is to be radically awakened to the needs of the people it purports to serve, but the Minister has to deliver on the enforcement of standards for all nursing homes has she has promised.

Never again must the institutional abuse as occurred at Leas Cross nursing home be allowed happen, and it could happen unless the Minister takes steps to put in place exacting inspection standards and procedures.

Officially, the new policy on care for the elderly was announced in the wake of several reports by consultants four years ago, and the more recent inter-departmental group representing Health and Social Welfare.

The other question that will concern most people is that of affordability and the Minister was at pains to stress that nobody would have to mortgage their home to have access to a nursing home.

Because the new policy will not become affective for twelve months, an interim scheme will be put in place for next year which will see the standard subvention of up to 300 a week.

The value of a person’s house will be taken into account, but the difference between the housing market in Dublin and the rest of the country will be a consideration.

In this more equitable arrangement the State’s take will not be more than 15% of the value of a house, or half that where one of a couple needs care.

That need will be assessed by the Health Service Executive, which will also assess the financial implications, which will involve in twelve months time a co-payment contract with the State, which will be enforceable from a person’s estate.

There will be always hard cases, and the Minister gave an assurance that people will be asked to contribute towards their long-term nursing home care according to their means.