Older people are often unaware of services available that could improve their quality of life and many who do know of public services are unsure or unwilling to access them, a study has found.
The Caught in the Web report, launched today by Ombudsman Emily O'Reilly, highlights the obstacles older people face when attempting to access public services.
“Isolation, sensory problems, lack of access to the internet, the failure of some service providers to offer adequate or appropriate information about their services all create barriers between the older person and what they need and are entitled to in order to get the most from their lives,” Ms O’Reilly said.
Researchers conducted in-depth interviews for the Older & Bolder study with five individuals and two couples, ranging in age from 53 – 80 from across Ireland. The case studies covered interviewees’ personal histories, perspectives and experiences with access to and information about public services.
The gateway to services was blocked by a lack of reliable, accurate and consistent information. At every consultation, subjects reported having great difficulty accessing information, and in turn, accessing services.
“It is not enough to provide a service; clear and targeted information must be available to ensure that everybody entitled to a service can access it as easily as possible,” Ms O’Reilly said.
“Greater thought must be given to ensuring that this is done and particularly during an economic downturn when resources are scarce and people are more dependent than ever on getting what they are entitled to.”
Ms O’Reilly pointed to the recent Revenue Commissioners controversy as an example of public bodies failing to share information appropriately. Patricia Conboy, director of lobby group Older & Bolder, called for a more easily navigable system for pensioners as a solution to alleviate many hardships experienced by older individuals.
Too much responsibility for information dissemination is borne by older individuals rather than service providers themselves, Ms Conboy said.
She recommended that organisations must be more proactive in providing information and targeting people at transition times in their lives, such as when they retire or become a care giver.
Clearer legislation, an update to the 1970 Health Act, and transparency in processes were also named as key ways to alleviate the problem.
“They should be able to make a telephone call and have their query tracked through a central tracking system the same way you can if you buy a book on Amazon or buy a flight or send a registered letter in the post,” Ms Conboy said.
“This would not entail enormous expenditure and indeed may save money in the long run.”
Older & Bolder is an association of eight age sector NGOs. The organisation promotes the cause of an age-friendly and -inclusive society in Ireland, from retirement through advanced age.