Madam, - I am glad to see in your pages the recent discussion on care options for the elderly. The article by Donal McManus "Sheltered housing a realistic option (August 19th) and Dr Brian Mulrone's letter (August 25th) on the "Benefits of sheltered housing" provide a radical new departure in the continuing debate on the role and suitability of nursing homes and residential care for many of our elderly.
However, in order to effect real change in the mindsets of policy-makers and move to community care-based solutions for the elderly and away from a dependency on residential and nursing care options, there is a need to create a "movement" for assisted independent living, of which sheltered housing should be a central part.
Such a movement could include health professionals such as GPs, organisations working with older people, non-profit housing associations and family carers, among others, all working together to expand the range of assistant independent living options for the elderly. Our elderly deserve much wider options than nursing and residential care and this discussion should continue. - Yours, etc,
MARY LENIHAN,
Butterfield Grove,
Dublin 16.