18 June: Home help services have been cut by 20 per cent in real terms in Co Kildare, which is serviced by the South Western Area Health Board.
The Home Help service assists elderly people in carrying out basic household chores which proves difficult for them because of their age or health. It can involve cleaning, lighting fires, cooking and it also provides a regular contact for people who may live on their own.
The ERHA says that E11.2 million was spent by the Board in the South Western Area in 2002 and the budget for 2003 is E9.6 million. This is a drop of 1.6 Million EURO or 20 per cent when inflation is taken into account.
The Board is presently reviewing the Home Help Service in order to keep within the budget. It is also developing assessment and eligibility guidelines for Home Help Services which it says 'will ensure equity in access and assessment for all applicants' for Home Care Services.
The Board currently employs 1,750 home helps and is providing up to 949, 680 home help hours in its catchment area.
Deputy Emmett Stagg says that the drop in this year's budget will see some of the most vulnerable people losing services which they require, and others will have their hours curtailed. "This is simply unacceptable treatment of elderly people and should not be tolerated," he said.
