Mary White (Fianna Fail)

Having listened to Senator McFadden's comments on this issue, I share the view that dealing only with the physical aspect is a form of housekeeping. Each human being is unique. This faces all of us in the future. We discussed in the Seanad a report done by NUI Galway that the practical needs of older people in nursing homes were being looked after reasonably well but there is a holistic need which makes a person happy in his or her situation.

There are geriatricians, a relatively new medical profession in the country. Providing for a general practitioner is narrow. The section would want to be more defined on who is experienced in dealing with people who need care. This Bill is not only about older people. It is about any person of any age who needs long-term care.

I agree with my colleagues that "cognitive ability" has nothing to do with the person's emotional health-----