Elderly now hit by shortage of home help staff
MANY elderly and people with a disability are now being hit with a shortage of home helps.
Health Minister Simon Harris, who is under pressure to deliver improved home care supports in the Budget, revealed there is a problem in recruiting home helps in some areas of the country.
The minister, who was before the Oireachtas health committee, said the HSE was trying to get around this by using home care packages instead – these are provided by contracted private companies.
“The provision of intensive home care packages is 22.1pc ahead of target and regular home care packages are up 9.9pc,” he added.
The HSE said directly employed home help staff, who provide home help services and home care hours, have recently concluded a review of employment contracts.
“Work is under way to implement revised contracts which will offer increased contract hours to over 85pc of existing home helps,” it said.
Escalating
However, it is now facing an emerging shortage of home care packages in the greater Dublin area and to a lesser extent in Limerick, Clare and Wicklow.
Meanwhile, private nursing home owners warned that an additional €40m is needed for the Fair Deal nursing home budget in 2018 so that they can cope with escalating costs.
A report by economist Jim Power, commissioned by Nursing Homes Ireland, cited higher payroll, food costs, and rent rises as well as higher financial demands due to construction, maintenance and repairs.
“State funding of the private and voluntary nursing home sector is intrinsic to the viability and very survival of these 24 /7 dedicated healthcare settings,” he said.
“The value of the employment they provide across the country, operating within isolated rural communities as well as big urban centres, should not be underestimated.”