Clarify the right to supports in the home

Older people who need and receive community care (e.g. Home Help, respite, Home Care Packages, hospice home care services) value this support enormously. 

However, access is discretionary, unequal and problematic. The root of this issue is the lack of legislation to underpin access to these services.  Since access is discretionary, it is extremely difficult for individuals, families and carers to get information and reliable access at critical points e.g. discharge from hospital, onset of disability, diagnosis of long-term or life-limiting illness. 

• Older & Bolder stands with the Ombudsman who observes that “people do not know where they stand in terms of their entitlements and in terms of the HSE's obligations to provide services” . Older & Bolder calls for the development of long-promised legislation to establish a clear right to community care. This will finally provide clarity and security to individuals and families for whom this is currently causing unnecessary anxiety.
• Community care supports (e.g. Home Help, respite, Home Care Packages) should have a central, not peripheral, role in health service planning and delivery. Older & Bolder are calling on the Government to widen the discussion on plans for Universal Health Care beyond GP and hospital services alone to incorporate community care too.