Covid-19 crisis is highlighting that home is safest pace to be
PAID CONTENT: Home Instead, Marlinstown Office Park, Mullingar - 044 9385260
By Jonathan Acton
jonathan.acton@homeinstead.ie
Recently the CEO of the HCCI (Home and Community Care Ireland), Joseph Musgrave, made some honest points in relation care in the community and how it is supported by budgets at present.
The HCCI is an organisation that represents home care providers throughout Ireland and has been an incredible support to all those providers throughout this crisis.
When asked about the financial implications of Covid-19 on care for seniors, Joseph commented in the Irish times last week to say:
“Covid-19 is redefining how we think about caring for vulnerable people. It will have as far-reaching an effect on our care models as the 2008 financial crash had on banking practices.
“The latest figures recorded by HCCI, which represents organisations providing home care to older and vulnerable people, show 45 active Covid-19 infections among our members’ 20,000 clients.
“Home really is the safest place to be. The limited impact of Covid-19 in the home stands in stark and depressing contrast to the devastation the virus has wrought in congregated settings such as nursing homes.
“One of the main problems is the nature of congregated settings; with so many vulnerable people in a confined space, it is fertile ground for infectious disease to spread.
“HCCI strongly supports legislating for a statutory home care scheme as soon as possible. The current target date is 2021. In designing the scheme, we “can learn from some of our European neighbours, including Finland and Germany.
“In Finland, with a population of 5.5 million, 74,000 people receive home care services and a similar number live in supported housing developments. Only 7,400 Finns are in nursing homes.
“Finland has recorded just 328 deaths from the virus and a total of 7,209 cases. This is down to a variety of factors, but it is notable that the country has avoided widespread deaths in congregated settings, mainly because Finns do not use them very much.
“Ireland, with a similar population but with 30,000 people in nursing homes, has had five times Finland’s deaths (1,735) and three times as many cases (25,462).
“If the Finns can teach us about how more widespread home care provision provides greater protection in a pandemic, the German model is more useful to learn from in designing a new system.
“Technological innovation is especially encouraged in the German system.
“Our Sláintecare Integration Fund is €20 million and open only to public sector and voluntary organisations.
“Germany takes a broader approach, funding a €300 million annual health innovation fund that encourages new models of care and more effective ways to deliver care across a range of healthcare settings, with the private sector closely involved.
“In Ireland, home care has historically been the poor sibling to nursing homes.
“The Fair Deal scheme, which was introduced in 2009, provides funding support to those needing nursing home care. It has a budget of over €1 billion in 2020 and a waiting period of four to six weeks.
“By contrast, home care does not operate on a statutory basis and thus the budget must be fought for annually. There is a waiting list of 8,000 and no timeframe for when someone can expect their home care package to begin.”
Joseph highlighted the struggles Home Care providers have faced but now is the time for increased awareness and funding for care in the community.
If anything, the Covid-19 crisis is highlighting that home is the safest pace to be.
If you need care in the home or have any questions you can contact me on 04493 85260 or check out HomeInstead.ie.
Stay safe.