Bodies representing older people and nursing homes have urged the Government to conclude the review of the Fair Deal nursing home support scheme after new details emerged of additional charges paid by residents in full-time care.
A new report by the advocacy group Age Action found that older people are often charged between €15 and €100 per week in addition to the statutory care charges levied as a proportion of their income and assets including farm property.
“The imposition of additional charges by private nursing homes for services such as social activities, doctor’s service at weekends and excess incontinence pads is making long-term residential care unaffordable to older people on low incomes even under Fair Deal,” Age Action argued.
This is the case for Offaly beef farmer Joe Carroll, who told the Irish Farmers Journal earlier this year that he was paying more than €2,000/month for his wife’s care based on the value of his 70ac farm. Joe has just been advised that his contribution would increase by €30/week for services he said were not satisfactory.
“Only a few channels are working on the TV. When Jen asks for newspapers, some staff tell her she is not entitled to them, while others will give them to her,” he said.
Nursing Homes Ireland (NHI), the body representing private care institutions, countered that all charges were transparent and “agreed with all residents in the Contract for Care”.
Implementation
Both Age Action and NHI have called on the Government to speed up the implementation of the review of the Fair Deal Scheme published two years ago this month. The review suggested changes to additional charges and to the assessment of productive assets such as farm property.
New Minister of State for Mental Health and Older People Jim Daly told the Seanad recently that he would meet the IFA to discuss the 7.5% annual charge applied on the value of farm property under the scheme. “I want to conclude those negotiations soon because the issue has dragged on too long and it needs to be addressed,” Minister Daly said. His predecessor Helen McEntee had promised changes to Fair Deal rules as part of the next budget.
The IFA has long campaigned for increased flexibility, including a discount on chargeable farm assets similar to the agricultural tax relief applied by the Revenue.
IFA farm family chair Maura Canning said that she hoped to meet Minister Daly soon to clarify how the scheme would operate next year.
At a recent meeting of the Wexford Solicitors Bar Association attended by the Irish Farmers Journal, one in three solicitors present had dealings with the Fair Deal Scheme involving farm assets.
Read more
Full coverage: Fair Deal scheme
Bodies representing older people and nursing homes have urged the Government to conclude the review of the Fair Deal nursing home support scheme after new details emerged of additional charges paid by residents in full-time care.
A new report by the advocacy group Age Action found that older people are often charged between €15 and €100 per week in addition to the statutory care charges levied as a proportion of their income and assets including farm property.
“The imposition of additional charges by private nursing homes for services such as social activities, doctor’s service at weekends and excess incontinence pads is making long-term residential care unaffordable to older people on low incomes even under Fair Deal,” Age Action argued.
This is the case for Offaly beef farmer Joe Carroll, who told the Irish Farmers Journal earlier this year that he was paying more than €2,000/month for his wife’s care based on the value of his 70ac farm. Joe has just been advised that his contribution would increase by €30/week for services he said were not satisfactory.
“Only a few channels are working on the TV. When Jen asks for newspapers, some staff tell her she is not entitled to them, while others will give them to her,” he said.
Nursing Homes Ireland (NHI), the body representing private care institutions, countered that all charges were transparent and “agreed with all residents in the Contract for Care”.
Implementation
Both Age Action and NHI have called on the Government to speed up the implementation of the review of the Fair Deal Scheme published two years ago this month. The review suggested changes to additional charges and to the assessment of productive assets such as farm property.
New Minister of State for Mental Health and Older People Jim Daly told the Seanad recently that he would meet the IFA to discuss the 7.5% annual charge applied on the value of farm property under the scheme. “I want to conclude those negotiations soon because the issue has dragged on too long and it needs to be addressed,” Minister Daly said. His predecessor Helen McEntee had promised changes to Fair Deal rules as part of the next budget.
The IFA has long campaigned for increased flexibility, including a discount on chargeable farm assets similar to the agricultural tax relief applied by the Revenue.
IFA farm family chair Maura Canning said that she hoped to meet Minister Daly soon to clarify how the scheme would operate next year.
At a recent meeting of the Wexford Solicitors Bar Association attended by the Irish Farmers Journal, one in three solicitors present had dealings with the Fair Deal Scheme involving farm assets.
Read more
Full coverage: Fair Deal scheme
SHARING OPTIONS