Ageism in healthcare - Facts reflect attitude to elderly people

The report which was published yesterday by the National Council on Ageing and Older People (NCAOP) presents very disturbing findings on the undignified attitude to elderly people which is prevalent in many areas of the health and social services.

Because of their age, there is a widespread perspective in many areas of the services which believes that to give elderly people access to treatment would be a waste of resources.

It is a contemptible approach to vulnerable people who have every right to be treated as equally as other patients, and not discriminated against because of their age.

For somebody to be told an operation or breast screening was pointless because of their age is utterly unacceptable, as is the practice of not referring somebody to a specialist on the same offensive grounds.

To a large extent it may reflect the exigencies that exist in a defective health service which is inadequate to meet the demands expected of it, despite the fact it will cost the taxpayer an enormous €11 billion this year.

Even so, it is inexcusable that anybody, especially elderly people, should be victimised by shortcomings in the health and social services. Possibly, the root cause is much wider.

Such an attitude may reflect the way society treats elderly people, whereas it should be more cognisant of their rights and the invaluable contribution they have made to the development of this country in helping to provide the very services which they now are denied.

In either case it cannot, and should not, be tolerated.

In an ideal world, elderly people should be able to remain in their own homes were there sufficient and adequate community facilities and support available for them to maintain their independence, but there are not.

Because there are not, people all too often end up in long-stay accommodation unnecessarily, but not through their own fault or desire.

This study was conducted in all 10 health boards in the State last year, before they were replaced by the Health Service Executive (HSE), which means that the results reflected the situation as it existed.

Unless, in the interim, dramatic changes have been wrought in the approach by the health and social services, it is difficult to take the Department of Health's response without a degree of scepticism.

It said that the department was committed to ensuring that older people were treated with dignity and respect when receiving healthcare services, regardless of age.

This is patently far removed from the realism which the NCAOP uncovered and would appear to be more aspirational than what is carried out in practice.

It would also be more reassuring that action would be taken if the HSE, which has statutory responsibility for the provision of healthcare services, took more than an "interest" in the key findings of the report, as indicated by the department.

What is happening to elderly people seeking access to health and social services warrants somewhat more than an interest in the findings.

Under no circumstances can the treatment meted out to them be allowed to continue at any level.

The authorities in health, be it in hospitals or in social services, or wherever abuse of elderly people exists, have an obligation to ensure it is eliminated.