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Wed 28th July
The Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA said: “Lessons need to be learned by the health trusts from this report. Fifty-eight per cent of those surveyed were never asked for their views by their social worker or care manager. That needs to be addressed.
“There also seems to be a real difference of care in isolated rural areas. While four out of every five in Northern Ireland receive help from family or neighbours this is not the case in the Western Trust area. Only 63 per cent of those on care packages received help from friends and neighbours. Quite clearly, those living in scattered rural communities in the western trust area don’t have the same support as elsewhere and this problem must be looked at urgently.
“Forty-two per cent of those surveyed said they were not involved in care planning. Clearly there is a serious lack of communication and trusts must improve the ways in which they relate to people who depend on domiciliary care – especially those over 65. The trusts need to find a better way of telling elderly people and their families and carers what options are open and available to them.
“One third of people feel that they should be getting more hours of care in their home, which is something worth noting, given that the health trusts are moving in the opposite direction at the moment and cutting care working hours.
“Eighty-three per cent of elderly people in this survey had never heard of direct payments. This system, although not suitable for everybody, affords a flexible route to caring for the elderly at home. Many people would be greatly helped by having this option.
“Clearly, there are many areas of domiciliary care that are working well and a great many people are satisfied with. However, there are also glaring lessons that need to be addressed from these figures.”
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