Danny Healy-Rae urges homecare focus, questions nursing home pay
Danny Healy-Rae addressed concerns about nursing home care following a primetime exposé, praising staff and questioning pay differences between public and private facilities. He argued elderly people are better cared for at home where possible, cited Denmark as a model, and criticised HICWA for focusing on buildings rather than people.
He said he was horrified by the primetime exposé and stressed there are great nursing homes, both public and private, in the County of Kerry. He praised staff as "second to noon" who do their very, very best.
He questioned how there could be a different rate of pay or money being given to public nursing homes as opposed to private nursing homes and said he could not understand that discrepancy. He raised the issue directly to the minister during his remarks.
He argued "there is no place better for elderly people at age than at home" and urged that Ireland should strive to adopt a home-care model. He pointed to Denmark as an example of keeping people in their own homes for as long as possible.
He criticised HICWA for apparently focusing on buildings, doors and windows rather than on the people themselves, and emphasised the need for special care and clear accountability in nursing homes.
He thanked the chair and concluded with the statement that "All people brought us to where we are today," reinforcing his appeal for attention to patient-centred care and accountability.
Immediate reaction
He said he was horrified by the primetime exposé and stressed there are great nursing homes, both public and private, in the County of Kerry. He praised staff as "second to noon" who do their very, very best.
Pay disparity concerns
He questioned how there could be a different rate of pay or money being given to public nursing homes as opposed to private nursing homes and said he could not understand that discrepancy. He raised the issue directly to the minister during his remarks.
Home-care preference and Denmark example
He argued "there is no place better for elderly people at age than at home" and urged that Ireland should strive to adopt a home-care model. He pointed to Denmark as an example of keeping people in their own homes for as long as possible.
HICWA criticism and accountability
He criticised HICWA for apparently focusing on buildings, doors and windows rather than on the people themselves, and emphasised the need for special care and clear accountability in nursing homes.
Closing remark
He thanked the chair and concluded with the statement that "All people brought us to where we are today," reinforcing his appeal for attention to patient-centred care and accountability.
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Transcript
First of all, I, like everyone else, was horrified with the primetime exposé and indeed we have great nursing homes, both public and private in the County of Kerry. We have great staff, second to noon, who do their very, very best. Public and private nursing homes, I can't understand how there is a different rate of pay or money being given to the public nursing home as opposed to the private nursing home, because I can't understand that. What I have to say is there is no place better for elderly people at age than at home and we should strive to bring in that model here, more so, Minister, because in places like Denmark, that's what they have and I can't understand. They're better in their own home for as long as possible and then when that fails, we have to go to nursing home and they have to go to nursing home, but they need special care and there needs to be accountability and HICWA apparently are only looking at buildings and doors and windows and not the people themselves and that's very, very important, Minister. Thanks, sir. All people brought us to where we are today.