Cuts to home help hours sees services slashed in the North West – Scanlon

Published on: 21 January 2016


Fianna Fáil General Election candidate in Sligo-Leitrim Cllr. Eamon Scanlon says the dramatic cuts to home help hours over the past five years has led to older people losing out on key services.  Almost 232,000 hours have been cut in the North West region since 2010 – and that is having a major impact on service delivery across the four counties.

Cllr. Scanlon commented, “Families across the North West have seen their home help hours decimated under this Government – some to the extent that the time allocated is simply not enough for healthcare providers to carry out all of the work required.  Washing, changing, cooking and cleaning all take time – but unfortunately as a result of the ruthless cuts imposed by this Government – healthcare workers are unable to deliver the necessary services in the time that they’re given.  This is impacting on the care that older people are receiving.

“The care givers and recipients are losing out as a result of these harsh cuts.  Healthcare workers are under severe pressure to get their work carried out under unrealistic time constraints, and unfortunately people are not receiving the level of care they deserve.

“The majority of older people want to live with dignity and stay in their own homes, and these supports are designed to facilitate that.  However, the cuts that have been implemented over the past five years are seriously threatening that prospect.  Many older people are now facing the possibility of being forced into nursing homes or overcrowded hospitals if they’re care needs are to be facilitated.  This is not the solution that older people or their families want and is a deeply unfair and regressive policy brought in by an arrogant and uncaring Government”.

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