Sir, – What a lovely, honest and realistic letter by Mary Hassett (June 30th) on the nursing home care her father received in his final years. I join with her in her criticism of Dr Jacky Jones, (HEALTHplus, June 21st) in equating current nursing home care to the Magdalene laundries.
I think a point that needs to be clarified with the Irish public is that only 4.6 per cent of people over 65 will ever need long-term nursing home care, which is one in 25 people over 65. In my daily experience the vast majority of this one in 25 need long-term residential care due to complex stroke and dementia conditions.
Although it would be everyone’s wish, these people cannot be cared for at home due to their complex medical and nursing needs, just as heart surgery cannot be performed at a local primary care centre.
Ms Hassett’s letter rises against the current, fashionable, tide of portraying nursing homes as places of scandal. Nursing homes are places of care and genuine love and as in any area of life there will be exceptions. Let not these exceptions blind us as a society against a sector that cares for a very small minority that needs our care and understanding. – Yours, etc,