Cork advocate for the elderly criticises ‘totally unacceptable’ waiting list for home support

An advocate for older people has described the current waiting list for home support in Cork as “totally unacceptable” and called for a major reform of the service.

According to Cork Kerry Community Healthcare (CKCH) there are 1,591 people waiting for home support in the two counties. 

It marks an increase of 117 people since March.

Paddy O’Brien, who has been an advocate for older people in Cork for decades, said the current figure is “totally unacceptable”.

“Something must be done now to right this awful situation,” Mr O’Brien said.

The HSE Home Support Service, formerly called the Home Help Service or Home Care Package Scheme, aims to support older people to remain in their own homes for as long as possible and to support informal carers.

“The biggest problem confronting elderly, sick people is the great lack of home carers in the community,” Mr O’Brien said.

“We have long waiting lists for this essential care and many people have been waiting for several months.”

He said it is the wish of most older people to stay living in their own home, but claimed the current situation is “driving people into nursing homes or going to live with sons and daughters”.

“Every week I’m getting calls from members of the public trying to procure a home help for an elderly parent,” he said.

Mr O’Brien claimed the scope of responsibilities of a home care support assistant (HCSA) has “changed drastically” over the years.

“Years ago, a home help would do everything — they got the person out of bed, they showered the person, they lit the fire, made a bit of a breakfast — regrettably that has all changed. The emphasis now is on personal care only.”

He also called for the length of home visits to be extended.

“The home helps are great people who do wonderful work out in the community but regrettably the time allocated to them [to visit elderly people] is not enough whatsoever,” he said.

In a statement to The Echo, CKCH said the “type and quantity of support” provided under the HSE Home Support Service “is determined by the client’s assessed care needs, which are clinically assessed by the HSE”.

“A wide range of tasks are carried out as determined by the client’s care plan including: Assistance with personal care tasks (getting in and out of bed, showering, shaving), cleaning out and lighting of fire to ensure an adequately warm environment, cleaning of a client’s personal space where non-performance of such duties impacts on the health, safety and wellbeing of the individual; reminding clients to take their medication etc,” the spokesperson said.

They said difficulties have been experienced in relation to recruitment and retention of home support staff, with certain areas experiencing increased pressures.

“Cork Kerry Community Healthcare regrets that so many people are currently waitlisted and has undertaken a number of recruitment campaigns in the last 18 months,” the spokesperson added.