Age Action’s Priorities for Budget 2018
The work of the Age Action policy team is supported by the Scheme to Support National Organisations, funded via the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government, and administered by Pobal.
LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Increase the weekly State Pension by €5 per week to build towards the Government’sobjectiveofaStatePensionsetat35percentofaverageweekly earnings[Cost:€148million]1.
2. IncreasetheLivingAloneAllowanceby€3perweek[Cost:€31.25million]2.
3. Reversethechangesintroducedin2012totheStatePensionsystemreducing thenumberofbandsfromsixtofour.[Cost:€60million].
4. Increasehomehelphourstoprovidetheservicetoanadditional22,300older peoplewhowillneedsupportin2018[Cost:€92million].
5. Ensureolderpeoplearesupportedtoreachandmaintaintheirpotentialtolive independentlivesbyprovidingreablementto16,000olderpeoplein2018 [Cost:€22million].
1.https://www.kildarestreet.com/wrans/?id=2017-03-01a.508&s=%22state+pension%22+section%3Awrans#g511.q2.ThecostofincreasingtheLivingAloneAllowanceby€6isin2018is€62.5million.Seehttps://www.kildarestreet.com/wrans/?id=2017-05-30a.712&s=%22Fuel+Allowance%22+section%3Awrans#g714.q
1. INTRODUCTIONAgeActionistheleadingadvocacyorganisationforolderpeopleinIreland.
WewanttomakeIrelandthebestcountryintheworldinwhichtogrowoldandweworkwitholderpeopletobuildasocietyfreeofageismwheretheirrightsaresecured.
Wehavemadeformalpre-budgetsubmissionstoanumberofindividualdepartmentsbutthisdocumentoutlinesthekeyprioritiesforolderpeopleinIrelandforBudget2018.
2. GROWING OLDER IN IRELANDEach year, in preparing our pre-budget submission, AgeAction consultswith ourmembersthroughasurveyandeventsheldinDublin,CorkandGalway.
Survey of Age Action membersWeaskedmemberstoidentifytheirmostimportantincomesupport.Almosthalf(49percent)stated that theStatePensionwas themost important, followedby theHouseholdBenefitsPackage(26percent)andthentheFuelAllowance(15percent).
ConsultationsMembersattendingourconsultationmeetingsandhustingswereconcernedaboutthelackoffundingforHomeCarePackages(HCPs)andtheunavailabilityofrespitecare.
WhileparticipantswelcomedrecentincreasesintheStatePension,theimportanceofwhichwas repeatedly stressed, they argued that any increase shouldbe introduced in January asopposedtopartofthewaythroughtheyear.
They were also conscious that not everyone would receive a €5 increase as those on lower rates ofpaymentwillonlyreceiveaproportionofthis.TheinadequacyoftheLivingAloneAllowancetomeetthecostsoflivingalonewasalsoraised.
Thefinancialburdenofthepropertytaxwasalsohighlightedbyourmemberswhoaredeeplyconcernedabouthowtherecentriseinhousepricesaheadofthepropertyvaluationin2019willaffecttheirhouseholdbudgets.
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Table 1 Importance of Income SupportsIncome Support %State Pension 49%HouseholdBenefitsPackage 26%FuelAllowance 15%
3. OLDER PEOPLE STILL SUFFERING FROM THE RECESSION
Realistic annual pension increase. A huge proportion of pensioners depend on this payment, even if they also have a company pension, which is often inadequate and even
frozen at a fixed amount.”– Louise
State Pension that will enable a person for whom this is their only income to live in reasonable comfort.”
– Dermot
Olderpeoplearestillfeelingtheeffectsofcutsintroducedduringtherecession.Theseincludethe abolition of the Telephone Allowance along with cuts to the Fuel Allowance and theChristmasBonus.
Thelasttwobudgetssawthepartialrestorationofolderpeople’sincomes.• Therewasa€3and€5weeklyincreaseintheStatePensioninBudgets2016and2017 respectively.Thelatterincreasewasintroduced10weeksintotheyear.• TheChristmasbonuswaspartiallyrestoredwithallsocialwelfarerecipientsreceivingan additionalpaymentof85percentoftheirweeklyratelastDecember.• TherewasawelcomeincreaseintheFuelAllowancewithariseto€22.50from€20.
Table 2belowprovidesacomparisonbetweenthecutsintroducedduringtherecessionandtherestorationoftheincomesofolderpeople.Itshowsthatpensionerstodayarestillstrugglingtogetbyonsmallerincomesthantheywouldhavereceivedin2009.
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Table 2 Income Supports Comparison 2009 versus 2015, 2016 and 2017Income Jan 2009 Jan 2015 Jan 2016 May 2017
StatePension(Contributory) €230.30 €230.30 €233.30 €238.30ChristmasBonus(weeklyequivalent) €4.42 €1.11 €3.361 €3.892TotalA €234.72 €231.41 €236.66 €242.19
Secondary Income Supports
TelephoneAllowance €6.00 €0.00 €0.00 €0.00TV Licence €3.08 €3.08 €3.08 €3.08Electricity €9.63 €8.07 €8.07 €8.07FuelAllowance €12.31 €10.00 €11.25 €11.25Total B €31.02 €21.15 €22.40 €22.40
Total A+B €265.74 €252.56 €259.06 €264.59DifferencefromJan2009 (€13.18) (€6.68) (€1.15)
New taxes and rising costsWitholderpeoplestrugglingtogetbyonsmallerincomes,theyfacedtheintroductionofthepropertytaxandsteadyincreasesininsurancecosts.
Censusdatashowsthat86percentofthoseagedbetween65and74years,and89percentofthoseagedover75yearsowntheirownhomes.
Aspropertypricescontinuetorise,particularlyinDublinandotherurbancentres,increasesinthepropertytaxareinevitableandwebelievethisposesariskofserioushardshiptoolderpeoplewhomayownpropertybutbereliantentirely,ormostly,ontheStatePension.
Theincreaseinthepriceofinsurance(suchashealthandhomeinsurance)hasbeenmaskedbyacomparativelyminorriseinoverallinflation. TheoverallchangeintheConsumerPriceIndex(CPI)forthepast12months(May2016toMay2017)hasbeen0.2percent3.However,duringthistime,houseinsuranceroseby7.6percentwhilehealthinsuranceincreasedby9.3percent4.
Older people see health insurance as a necessary outlay because they are more likely to need timelyaccesstohealthandsocialcareservices.Houseinsuranceisalsoanecessarypurchaseasolderpeoplearemorelikelytoberesidinginowner-occupiedaccommodation(seeabove).
PolicymakersshouldalsobeconsciousthattheCPIisnotaneffectiveguidetothepurchasinghabitsofolderpeople.
Research undertaken by theVincentian Partnership for Social Justice (VPSJ) in 20135 noted that,whileoverallCPIfellby0.15percentintheperiod2008to2013,thecostofaMinimumEssentialStandardofLivingforalonepensionerandapensionercoupleroseby5.03percentand7.34percentrespectively.
Rising levels of poverty Thecombinationofreducedincomeandrisingcostshas ledtoasteady increase inpovertyamongolderpeople.
ThelatestofficialpovertystatisticsfromtheCSOindicatethat10.7percentofpeopleaged65yearsandoverwere‘atrisk’ofpovertyin20156.
However, many older people survive on incomes only just above the poverty line as thenon-contributoryStatePensionamounts to€11,804while thecontributoryStatePension is€12,391.60perannum.
WhileitiswelcomethattheStatePensionissetabovethepovertyrate,theaspirationshouldbeforaStatePensionthatenablesolderpeopletogrowoldindignity.
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3CSO(2016)ConsumerPriceMay2017–availableat http://pdf.cso.ie/www/pdf/20170622041400_Consumer_Price_Index_May_2017_full.pdf4Calculatedusingdatafromwww.cso.ieunderConsumerPriceIndexbyDetailedSubIndices,MonthandStatistic.5VPSJ(2013)ChangesinthecostofaMESLinComparisontoCPIInflation–availableathttp://budgeting.ie6CSO(2015)SurveyonIncomeandLivingConditions2015–availableathttp://www.cso.ie
In2015,15.4percentofthoseagedover65yearsexperienceddeprivation.Thismeansthatapproximately93,000olderpeopleweresimplyunabletoaffordbasicgoodsandservices.
In2009,thelastyearinwhichtheStatePensionwasincreasedpriorto2016,thedeprivationratewasmuchlowerat9.5percent.
AsTable 3illustrates,povertyforolderpeoplehasrisensteadilysince2013.
Increase the State PensionTheNationalPensionsFrameworkcontainsacommitmentto“sustainthevalueoftheStatePensionat35percentofaverageweeklyearnings”topreventpovertyamongolderpeople7. PreliminaryCSOfiguresforQuarter22017indicatethataverageweeklyearningsare€723.74,whichwouldsuggestaStatePensionof€253.318.
ThelatestOECDPensionsataGlancereportstatesthatthree-quartersofolderpeople’sincomeisfrompublictransfers9.Tothisend,theStatePensionhasprovidedacritical,andoftensole,sourceofincomeformanyolderpeople.
In2012theCSOconfirmedtheimportanceofStatetransfersasakeyprotectionfrompovertyforolder people10.Thereportsaysthatpublictransferscomprise63.4percentofthehousehold’sdisposableincomeforthoseaged65yearsandover11.
Budget2018mustcontinuetoworktowardsthebenchmarkNationalPensionsFrameworkbyincreasingtheweeklyrateoftheStatePensionbyfiveeuro.
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7GovernmentofIreland(2010)NationalPensionsFrameworkp.19–availableat http://www.welfare.ie/en/downloads/nationalpensionsframework_en.pdf8CSO(2017)EarningsandLabourCostsQuarterly–availableat http://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/er/elcq/earningsandlabourcostsq42016finalq12017preliminaryestimates/9OECD(2015)PensionsataGlance2015–availableatwww.oecd.org10CSO(2012)SurveyonIncomeandLivingConditions–ThematicReportontheElderly2004,2009&2010–availableat http://www.cso.ie/11ReferstoalltypesofcashbenefitspaidtoolderpeoplesuchastheStatePensionsandtheHouseholdBenefitsPackage.
Table 3 Poverty rates for those aged 65 years and over 2013-2015At risk of poverty % Deprivation rate % Consistent poverty %
2013 9.2 16.1 1.92014 10.3 14.3 2.12015 10.7 15.4 2.7Source: CSO(variousyears)SurveyonIncomeandLivingConditions-availableathttp://www.cso.ie/en/silc/releasesandpublications/
4. LIVING ALONE ALLOWANCE
Living Alone Allowance should be substantially increased as living on your own incurs almost as many expenses as having a partner with his/her own pension. Nine euro per
week does not even begin to compare with having a second pension coming in.” – Cillian
Please highlight the unfairness of a person living alone…compared with two people with two incomes and incurring the same costs of running a home. This is especially
unfair when a one-income home is expected to pay the same property tax as a two or more income home.”
– Roisín
ThelatestCensusstatisticsindicatethattherewere587,284peopleagedover65yearslivinginprivatehouseholds.Ofthisnumber156,799(27percent)arelivingalone. Many older people experience the loss of a partner through bereavementwhich can havedevastating emotional and financial effects. They highlight how the loss of a partner oftenmeansthelossofanadditionalincomeyetthecostofheatingtheirhome,forexample,remainsthe same.
TheVincentianPartnershipforSocialJustice(VPSJ)MinimumEssentialBudgetStandardssetsoutthecostoffourteencorebudgetcomponents12 in Table 4. These show that a lone pensioner livinginanurbanareawillincur79percentofthecostsofapensionercoupleandthisrisesto81percentinruralareas. The data shows that food costs are 84 per cent of the expenditure of a pensioner couplehouseholdinanurbanareaand76percentinaruralarea.Energycostsare96and97percentinanurbanandruralarearespectively. Itisclearfromthistablethatthecostsoflivingalonearewellinexcessofhalfofthoseofthepensionercouple.YetacomparisonofvariousSocialWelfareincomescenarios13 indicates that lonepensionersdependentontheStatePensionhaveincomesofbetween52and63percentofapensionercouplealsodependentonStatePension.
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12 The core costs include food, clothing, personal care, health, household goods, household services, communications, socialinclusionandparticipation,education,transport,householdenergy,personalcosts,insuranceandsavingsandcontingencies.13Usingdata from theVPSJ (2017)MESLupdate, a comparisonof the incomeofpensioner livingaloneon theStatePensionContributoryandapensionerlivingaloneontheStatePensionNon-Contributorywasundertaken.ThreedifferentscenariosforthePensionercouplewereused–BothonStatePensionNon-Contributory;oneonStatePensionContributoryandoneonStatePensionNon-ContributoryandoneontheStatePensionContributoryandinreceiptoftheQualifiedAdultAllowance.
Furthermore,lonepensionersdependentontheStatePension(Non-Contributory)livinginaruralareahaveaninadequateincomewithaweeklyshortfallof€57.65inmeetingtheMESLcosts.
ThereisanurgentneedtodeliverasubstantialincreaseintheLivingAloneAllowanceinBudget2018.
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Table 4 Comparison of MESL 2017 Cost – Lone Pensioner vs Pensioner CoupleBudget Components LP cost % to PC
Urban RuralFood 84% 76%Clothing 60% 60%PersonalCare 69% 72%Health 50% 50%HouseholdGoods 93% 89%HouseholdServices 97% 100%Communications 101% 101%SocialInclusionandParticipation14 75% 75%Education n/a n/aTransport n/a 100%HouseholdEnergy 96% 97%PersonalCosts 97% 98%Insurance 55% 68%SavingsandContingencies 67% 67%
All Expenditure 79% 81%Source: Data analysed from the VPSJ website www.budgeting.ie. In particular this analysis draws on the latest availableexpenditurebudgetsforruralandurbanareasforbothapensionercoupleandpensionerlivingalone.
14Theincreasedcommunicationscostrelatestoahighernumberofstampsforalonepensionerwhoisassumedtoengageinletterwritingmorefrequentlyinordertocombatisolation.
5. REVERSE THE 2012 PENSION CUTS
At present my wife and I receive combined state pensions of €404.70. I became 65 in June 2013…People who reached 65 prior to September 2012 receive a higher pension
than ours. Under the old system we would now have a combined €447.10. That is a cut of €40.40 per week! Which is disgraceful.”
– Michael
The change in legislation in 2012 for the contributory pension means that my wife, who has 1,843 contributions, will not receive her full pension as she ‘broke service’ to
study and care for her parents when they were ill. The new ‘contributory pension’ rules discriminate against women.”
– Tony
More than35,000pensionershad theirpensionscutbecauseof changes introduced to theStatePensionin2012bythepreviousGovernment15.
Thousands of retiredworkers are losingmore than €1,500 a yearwithwomen pensionerssufferingthemostfortakingtimeoutoftheworkforcetocarefortheirfamilies.
In 2012 theGovernment changed the eligibility criteria for the Contributory State Pension.Whilethoseentitledtoafullpensionwereunaffected,manyofthosewhowouldhavebeeninlineforsmallerpensionslostout.
Newbandswereintroducedsothat,undertheoldsystem,apensionerwithanaverageof20contributions,forexample,wouldhavebeenentitledto€228.70.Butafter2012,thisdroppedto€198.60,acutofmoreofmorethan€30eachweek.
Thesituationismadeworsebythe‘averagingrule’usedbytheDepartmentofSocialProtectiontocalculatethenumberofcontributionsmadebyaworker.
Under this system the number of PRSI contributions a worker hasmade is divided by thenumberofyearsbetweenherfirstdayofworkandherretirement.
Thismeansthatsomeonewhoworkedforafewmonthsinthesixtiesandthenwentbacktoworkfrom2000to2012getsafarsmallerpensionthansomeoneofthesameagewhojuststartedworkin2000.
Olderpeoplearegettingmuchsmallerpensionsbecauseofdecisionstheymadetogotoworkinthe60sand70s.They’rebeingpunishedforworkingandthey’rebeingpunishedforprovidingcarefortheirfamilies.
AswomenaremorelikelytohavetakentimeoutoftheworkforceoncaringdutiesandaremorelikelytobereceivingalowerStatePensionratethanmenthesechangeshaveexacerbatedanalreadywidegenderpensiongapinIrishsociety.
WewouldurgetheGovernmenttoreversethe2012changesinBudget2018.
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15 For a succinct account of these changes see Age Action (2017) Reversing the 2012 State Pension Cuts. Available at https://www.ageaction.ie/sites/default/files/attachments/briefing_paper_3_-_reverse_the_2012_state_pension_cuts.pdf
6. SUPPORT OLDER PEOPLE TO LEAD HEALTHY INDEPENDENT LIVES
My sister- in- law living in the country could do with a home help calling daily. She’s almost invalided but still has to take care of her husband. Both these people deserve
help but appeals and requests seem to be smothered in red tape and deaf ears.” – Deirdre
Acentralobjectiveof theDepartmentofHealth’sStrategicPlan2016to2019 is tosupportpeopletoleadhealthyandindependentlives.Promotinghealthandwellbeingisacross-cuttingpriorityfortheHealthServiceExecutive(HSE).
Aspeoplelivelonger,theirriskofdisabilityalsoincreases.Itisestimatedthat72.3percentofthepopulationaged85andoverwillhaveadisability16.Oneinfivepeopleaged85andoverwilllivewithdementia17.Withlongerlives,thenumberofpeopleaged85andoverwillquadrupleinthenext25years18. TheHSE budget assigned tomeet the needs of older people has still not returned to pre-austeritylevels(from€1.74billionin2009to€1.70billionin2017),despitea23percentriseinthenumberofpeople65andoverinthesameperiod(498,900in2009to664,000in2016)19. ThisshortfallmustbeaddressedwithfundingprovidedinBudget2018.
Manystudieshavehighlightedthecostsof failing toprovideolderpeoplewith thesupporttheyneed, includingreductions intheperson’squalityof lifeandphysicalhealth,aswellasincreasedneedforhealthservices.
AstudyintheUSAlookedatMedicarebeneficiarieswhodidnotmeetthethresholdtoqualifyforsupport.Itfoundthatalmostaquarterof8.7millionolderpeoplelivinginthecommunitywithoutsupportsreportedgoingwithouteating,bathingordressing.Unmetneedpredictedhospitaladmission,readmissionandwasamajorriskfactorfornursinghomeplacement20.
Restrictingserviceslikehomesupporttothosewithhighersupportneedsisafalseeconomy.Frailolderpeoplewhoaredeniedhomecarehavehigherratesofadmissiontoacutehospitals,whilethosewhogetthesupporttheyneedseeafallinthenumberofhospitaladmissions21.
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16http://www.cso.ie/en/media/csoie/newsevents/documents/census2016summaryresultspart2/Chapter_9_Health,_disability_and_caring.pdf17http://www.cso.ie/en/media/csoie/census/documents/census2011profile8/Profile,8,commentary.pdf18http://www.cso.ie/en/media/csoie/releasespublications/documents/population/2013/poplabfor2016_2046.pdf19PatHealy,HSE,(2017)PaperpresentedtoCitizen’sAssemblyhttps://www.citizensassembly.ie/en/Meetings/Pat-HealyPaper.pdf20Allen,S.M.,Piette,E.,&Mor,V.(2014).Theadverseconsequencesofunmetneedamongolderpersonslivinginthecommunity:dual-eligible versusmedicare-only beneficiaries. Journals ofGerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences,69(7),S51–S5821Sands,P.,YunWang,W.,McCabe,G,Jennings,K,Eng,C.,Covinsky,K(2006)RatesofAcuteCareAdmissionsforFrailOlderPeopleLivingwithMetVersusUnmetActivityofDailyLivingNeedsJAGS54:339–344
Unmet need in Ireland TheHSEPlanningforHealth2017reportcalculatedthat50,875peopleshouldbe inreceiptof home help in 2017. These figures reflect home help provided to all care groups. A HSEperformancereportin2009estimatedthat85percentofrecipientswereolderpeople.
Itisthereforeestimatedthatfewerthan42,000peoplereceivinghomehelpin2017wereolderpeople,approximately6.5percentofthepopulationaged65andover.AsindicatedinTable 5 thenumberofhomehelphoursprovidedremainedat2016levels.
ComparedwiththeOECDestimateofapproximately10.1percentofthepopulationofpeople65andoverneedinghomehelp,theunmetneedinIrelandisestimatedtobejustover3.5percent,approximately22,300olderpeople.
Thenumberswaitingforhomehelpareincreasing.AttheendofDecember2016,therewere2,039peopleassessedasneedinghomehelpbutwaitingforaservice22.BythestartofJuly2017,thenumberwaitinghadmorethandoubledto4,60023.
Unmetneedisassociatedwithavarietyofnegativeconsequencesthatcanaffectthehealthandwell-being of the older person. These range from relativelyminor consequences, suchasfeelingdistressedbecausehouseworkisnotdone,tomajorconsequences,suchasbeingunabletoeatwhenhungry24.
Funding for home help must be increased to address unmet need in 2018.TheHSEestimatedthecostofproviding5hoursperweektoanadditional2,039peopleasapproximately€4.5million25.
Hence,withunmetneedestimatedtobejustover3.5percentamongthepopulation65andover,22,300extraolderpeoplewillrequirehomehelpservicesnextyear.Tomeetthisneed,anextra€92millionmustbeallocatedtofundhomehelpservicesin2018.
Thiscostmayappearhighbuttoputthisincontext,foreverythreehospitaladmissionsavoided,fiveolderpeoplecouldbeprovidedwithonehourhomehelpperdayforayear26.
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22 HSEresponsetoPQ6494/1723http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/new-scheme-promised-as-waiting-list-for-home-care-support-hits-4600-35904396.html24Quail, JWolfson,CandLippman,A(2011)UnmetNeedforAssistancetoPerformActivitiesofDailyLivingandPsychologicalDistressinCommunity-DwellingElderlyWomen.CanadianJournalonAging30(4):591–60225HSEresponsetoPQ26PatHealy,HSE,(2017)PaperpresentedtoCitizen’sAssemblyhttps://www.citizensassembly.ie/en/Meetings/Pat-HealyPaper.pdf
Table 5: Home help budget, number of hours and recipients2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Expected
Activity 2017
Budget (million) €211 €185 €185 €185 €185 €192 €217.9Home Help Hours (million)
11.98 9.83 10.1m 10.3 10.437 10.57m 10.57m
Recipients 50,986 45,705 46,249 47,500 47,795 49,000 49,000
7. REABLEMENT
Identifying older people at risk of becoming frail and providing themwith reablement andrehabilitationprogrammesresultsinimprovementsinhealth-relatedqualityoflifeandwell-beingandreducedpersonalhomecarecosts27.
In many countries policy-makers are actively promoting reablement as an effectivemeansof supportingolderpeople tobe independent.Forexample, inDenmark,municipalitiesarerequired by law to assess if a person in need of home care services could benefit from areablementprogramme.
Reablementhelpsolderpeopleregainconfidenceandskillsneededtoliveindependentandfulfillinglives.Thisreducestheneedforserviceslikehomecare.Tailoredprogrammes,usuallywithsupportfromanoccupationaltherapist,areprovidedtopeopleintheirownhomesforbetweenthreeto12weeks.Equipmentandtechnologythatcansupportthepersonarealsooftensupplied.
AHSEreportproducedbyMazarshighlightedthatreablementprogrammesinEnglandwerecost-effective and reduced the need for homecare28. Despite positive indications from areablementpilotprojectinNorthDublin29,accesstoreablementislimitedinIreland.
AreportonreablementinScotlandfoundthat,onaverage,serviceusersremainedinreablementanaverageof7.7weeksreceiving7.4hoursofsupport.
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27http://www.ifa-copenhagen-summit.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Copenhagen-Summit-Final-Report.pdf28http://www.hse.ie/eng/services/publications/olderpeople/Activity-Resource-Review-Home-Care-Services-May-2016.pdf29http://sonasapc.ie/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Austin-Warters-Building-integarated-dementia-care-pathways.pdf30http://www.audit-scotland.gov.uk/uploads/docs/report/2016/nr_160310_changing_models_care_supp1.pdf
GLASGOW CASESTUDY
InGlasgowtheCityCouncilandNHSprovideareablementprogrammetosupportolderpeopletostayathomeforaslongaspossible.Thereablementprogrammefreedupresourcestoallowmorehomecareservicestobeprovided.Overathreeyearperiod,onaverage,around40percentofpeoplewhocompletedtheprogrammerequirednofurtherhomecare.Forpeoplewhorequiredongoingsupporttherewasarounda20percentreductioninhomecarepackages.Thefreeingupofresourcesprovidedsavingsinthehomecarebudgetof£2.75millionin2013/14and£1.75millionin2014/1530.
Thecostperhourwilldependontheprofessionalsdeliveringtheprogrammeandrangedfrom£8.60to£28perhour.Approximately2.5percentofthepopulation65andoverinonecityavailedoftheprogrammeoveroneyear31.
Using the Scottish figures, we estimate 16,000 people could benefit from a reablementprogrammeinoneyearinIreland.
Atanaveragecostof€1,400perperson,theestimatedcostofprovidingareablementprogrammeisapproximately€22million.Withtwohoursofhomehelpperweekcosting€2,080peryear32,thisinvestmenthasthepotentialtofreeup€11millionfortheprovisionofmorehomehelp.
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31hhttp://www.jitscotland.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Report-on-Survey-of-Re-ablement-with-Case-Studies-February-2013-Final1.pdf32PatHealy,HSE,(2017)PaperpresentedtoCitizen’sAssemblyhttps://www.citizensassembly.ie/en/Meetings/Pat-HealyPaper.pdf
For further information please contact:JustinMoran,HeadofAdvocacyandCommunications,AgeAction,30/31LowerCamdenStreet,Dublin2
T: 01-4756989; E:[email protected]
