Larry Butler (Fianna Fail)

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Hoctor, for outlining the care dedicated to older persons. As a member of a health board for ten years I had the opportunity to visit many elderly care centres throughout the country, which was an education. I will not deal with the problems regarding health care for the elderly as it has been addressed by a number of other speakers. However, it is worrying that there has been an increase in the number of complaints about elderly abuse from 900 to 1,700.

On a more positive note, the elderly played a major role in the Celtic tiger and in terms of their contribution to the country for many years. I include those who emigrated and now live in London in circumstances not as favourable as those of some elderly people in this country. This is an area of the health services over which we do not have control. However, I believe we should ensure a service is provided to cater for the needs of our older people who emigrated many years ago. Such people sent significant sums of money back when we were not so wealthy.

Senator White dealt with ageism, one of the worst aspects of the way we treat our elderly. Very intelligent people who held very high positions during the tenure of their working lives are treated on retirement as imbeciles and we do not use the skills they have. Such people have tremendous skills which are not being tapped. We could use some of their skills for upgrading and training some of those now unemployed. I wish to see our elderly more involved in the day-to-day life of the country. As Senator White said, one should be able to choose when one wishes to retire. That is a right which should be implemented and defended.

Very significant advances have been made by the Government and the HSE in the past ten years. It is great to see the facilities at the disposal of the elderly. There are wonderful day care centres in my constituency of Dún Laoghaire. There is bowling and various other entertainments set up for the elderly, and rightly so. These represent significant advances and we should accept and acknowledge that we have done well in certain aspects, although I am sure we can do better.

It is regrettable to have to put in place services to protect the elderly when abuses take place. However, it is necessary no matter how much one polices a given area. There are 15,000 police on the streets of the country, but abuse still takes place and there is a breakdown of law and order every day. The health services look after 23,000 elderly people throughout the country and it is very difficult to police and enforce the rules when abuse takes place, but it is incumbent on those working in the health services to do so.

The homes and care we provide are very expensive. The average cost of staying in a home is probably between €800 to €1,000 per week. The least we can expect is for those delivering services to the elderly to be professional. I believe the Minister of State, Deputy Hoctor, has done much during her time in this portfolio to ensure a professional service is delivered to our older people, which is vital.

In the debate on the delivery of services there has been mention of physical, mental and various other forms of abuse, but verbal abuse is probably the worst of all. Much abuse is verbal in nature and is not reported because the older person does not wish to draw attention or create a problem in the household or home in which he or she lives. This occurs every day but goes undetected.

The most vital service we can deliver to the elderly is that of carers looking after them at home. This enables older people to stay at home where they are familiar with the surroundings, where they wish to be, where their neighbours are near and where the community lives. The longer we can maintain that service the better. It is a cheaper service and when making decisions about costs and trying to get value for money and the best delivery of services, we must consider the work of such carers. Their money is earned by their hard work and diligence and we should support them.