Ms Tina Leonard:

This is a real issue. While we said the Government's focus in terms of spending is on long-term residential care, it is important to say that in an ideal world, there would be more options. The Deputy mentioned sheltered accommodation. There are no other options for people who need that level of help now, and that is a problem. People with dementia trying to access a nursing home under the fair deal scheme may, and do, come up against not only geographical problems but also that some nursing homes will not accept someone with dementia. For example, a member of a family I know was in a nursing home but the family were asked to take the person out of the nursing home because it could no longer deal with the person whose condition had progressed. Can one imagine getting a call like that? Even if someone gets a package under the fair deal scheme, there can be barriers in terms of accessing the care. Issues arise across the journey.