WHY IRISH SENIOR CITIZENS ARE LOOKING AT AN ALTERNATIVE TO RESIDENTIAL HOME CARE?
Ageing senior citizens in Ireland face a difficult decision about where they want to live in old age . More than 70% of Irish people want to stay in their own current homes as they grow older. As the Irish population grows and Irish Senior living longer a significant amount of pressure will be placed on private and residential care homes to provide places for this growing demand.
According to the Central Statistics Office (CSO) “ those aged 65 years and over will increase significantly from a level of 629,800 in 2016 to potentially nearly 1.6 million by 2051” . Ireland is not alone when it comes to this demographic trend.
When it comes to planning how and where we wish to live out our older years many are now turning to the idea and concept of ageing in place or in the community where we are surrounded by our family , friends and their trusted support network . There is also a financial reason why many Irish people are deciding to age at home versus move to care homes. In a recent article by the Irish times it was been reported that “The average weekly cost of caring for a resident in a nursing home is now €1,615 – up from €1,592 last year” . When the figures are assessed on a county by county basis some private nursing homes in the greater Dublin area are costing as much as €2800 per week.
The costs associated with moving to residential care home are significant and out of reach for many Irish citizens. While in some cases residential care homes maybe the only practical and available option, the trend of adapting or modifying your home for senior and safer living allied to support services in home is now the preference for many.
The process of planning, designing and funding the adaptations to your home needs to be considered and it is strongly recommended that the advice of OT’s , home adaptation specialists and services providers is considered . Ensuring that all key areas of the house such as stairs, bathrooms and kitchens are accessible is essential to ensuring safe, independent living .
When it comes to making home adaptations such as bathroom, stair case, and furniture based modifications the process can cost as little as €5,000. For this investment people get to enjoy all areas of the home without fear of accidents or falls . While grants are available at local authority level , they are means tested and approval times if eligible can take up to 9 /12 months .
Visit www.ageinginplace.ie to explore the products and services that can enable you or a loved one stay in the home they love in older age.