Ireland is running out of time to safeguard its ageing population, according to the national representative body for private and voluntary nursing homes.
At its annual conference on Thursday, Nursing Homes Ireland (NHI) called on the Government to begin what it called a national dialogue on ageing, with Irish nursing homes already operating at 95 per cent occupancy and demand only set to grow.
“Ireland is sleepwalking into one of the biggest social and healthcare challenges in its history,” said NHI chief executive Tadhg Daly. “We know exactly what is coming, yet we are still not planning with the ambition and scale required.”
Department of Health projections suggest , by 2045, the number of people aged 85 and above will grow by 162 per cent. By 2030, more than one million people in Ireland will be over the age of 65.
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“That’s a tremendous success story because people are living longer, healthier lives,” Daly said. “However, the clock is ticking, and we must forward plan instead of simply hoping the necessary infrastructure, care capacity, and support services will somehow appear.”
NHI described the situation as a “demographic tipping point” in the provision of care and support for older people in Ireland. It cited projections from the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) that suggest 1,000 additional nursing home beds will be required every year until 2040 to satisfy demand.
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“While increasing bed numbers is important, the location of these beds should be paramount to the required plan,” Daly said. “We are already seeing older people having to leave their community for nursing home care due to capacity constraints, a situation which is having a real impact on residents and families.”
At the conference in Kilkenny attended by more than 500 delegates, Daly called on the Government to convene health and social care providers, older people’s organisations, community groups and civil society in a proposed national dialogue on ageing.
“The question facing Ireland is simple,” Daly said. “What kind of country do we want to be for our older people in 10, 20, and 30 years’ time, and what steps are required to achieve this?
“Whatever the answer, it will require planning and investment across all services including primary care, day services, home care, independent living, respite care, rehab care, and residential nursing home care.”
NHI wrote to Taoiseach Micheál Martin on Thursday to outline its position. It said a national dialogue would “guide the creation of practical plans and clear accountability, providing for world-class infrastructure, care capacity, and support services”.
