Nursing home standards - Vulnerable elderly must be protected

FOR a nation that likes to boast of its newfound status as one of Europe’s wealthiest economies, Ireland lags far behind other states on social issues.

Shamefully, the Government’s spend on the care of older people is the lowest in the EU.

This damning indictment comes not from the opposition benches but from an official think-tank, the National Economic and Social Forum. Underlining the urgency of caring for the elderly, it calls for regular inspections of nursing homes, with penalties and fines for failing to meet the required standards. At present, inspections come under the umbrella of the Health Service Executive but results are not published.

There is strong evidence that many older people want to remain living at home instead of going to hospitals or community centres. If their wishes are to be realised, it is of paramount importance that adequate support systems be put in place.

As witnessed in the Leas Cross scandal, elderly people are vulnerable to abuse behind the closed doors of a nursing home. And with 7% of our senior citizens facing dire poverty, it is high time the Coalition took more decisive action to tackle their plight.