Mary White (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, Deputy Seán Power, to the House. Yesterday, I spoke in Donegal town at the regional meeting of the active retirement group about the research conducted for my document, A New Approach to Ageing and Ageism. The people attending the meeting represented active retirement groups from Donegal, Sligo and Leitrim.

At the meeting I spelled out the fact that we all live longer now owing to better and warmer home conditions and better food and medication. The 2002 census found we had 436,000 people over the age of 65. By 2016, that figure will have increased by 50%. Therefore we will have more older people who will all live longer, have a better quality of life and have greater expectations for that life. The people I addressed were group leaders from the different counties so I told them to go back and encourage the people in their active retirement groups, in Stranorlar, Tubbercurry or wherever, not to accept the ageism prevalent in society. The chart on page 7 of my document demonstrates that before the age of 65, people are considered an asset to the State, but that after the age of 65, they are considered a liability. I tried to encourage the representatives of the active retirement groups to be proactive, lobby for their needs and not just accept what doctors, nurses or even the Government put forward.

There is no question that the 5% subvention charge is controversial. One of the gentlemen attending yesterday's meeting, Mr. Butler from Strandhill, said 23,000 members of active retirement groups would march and lobby against this. I said to him I was unable to discuss the issue yesterday because I was not 100% au fait with the provision, but that I would get back to him about it. I would like the opportunity to speak to somebody in the Department on that issue.

I am optimistic and positive for the future. I spoke for one and a half hours on ageing and ageism yesterday and was optimistic about the quality of life older people can expect. Last year €150 million extra was provided for home care for the elderly and yesterday provision was made for full-year funding of €170 million. This is what it should be about. This is the largest ever annual increase in funding for older people and it clearly demonstrates the Government's commitment to improving the quality of service provided to our older citizens. I was happy that yesterday's budget dealt with the issue of ageing. Not everything can be covered in each budget and this year was the year for the elderly. I have also issued a child care document which is there as a platform for the future.

My document on ageing also covers the current situation with nursing homes and institutional long-stay care. It states:

While the preferred option is to keep older people in their homes and communities for as long as possible, approximately 5% of older people [I was amazed it was only 5%] require long-stay residential nursing home care. The principal reasons for admission include chronic illness, mental infirmity, physical disability and social reasons.

Despite perceptions:

87% of those in nursing home care are there for less than 1 year.

77% for less than 3 months.

63% of those in institutional care go back into community.

It is because 63% go back into the community that it is so important we have home care facilities, speech therapists, physiotherapists and chiropodists in place and maintained at an optimal level for people in their homes. The fact that most older people leave residential care after a short period means that much of the reason they had to avail of residential care was that the supports were not available to help them remain at home. The extra funding provided in the budget will assist greatly in helping people remain in their homes.

At the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health and Children last week, Professor Des O'Neill spoke about the voluntary sector. We all live in fear that we may have to go into a private nursing home. I do not know what economic model is used for running these residential homes, but there seems to be something radically wrong as they must constantly cut corners with regard to care. Most of us, if we had to go into care, would now aspire to a public hospital where there are many more nurses to each patient. There is something radically wrong in this regard.

I am supportive of the Minister of State in his brief as the Minister with special responsibility for the elderly. I wish him continued success in his work. As a Fianna Fáil Senator, I am on a mission with regard to a new approach to child care, aging and ageism.