A PRESCRIPTION FOR CHANGE

8. Aging and Older Persons Care

Aging and Older Persons Care

Sinn Féin is committed to empowering older people to live independently and building a health service that cares for us as we age. We would implement a comprehensive social care policy to support independent living for people and groups with identified additional needs, including targeted funding to tackle loneliness and isolation, particularly among older people and people living alone.

We believe that people deserve to live in their own homes for as long as they can. We have expanded on our ‘home first’ approach to care in the Local Health and Social Care Services section, which includes the funding for all related measures.

We would ensure that there are options for remaining at home, downsizing, or living in a community setting. The state should support older people to ‘age in place’ through home support and adaptation grants to ensure healthy age friendly homes. Long-term residential care should be available for those who want or need it, but it should not be the default option. We would seek to reduce reliance on nursing homes and reorient care to support this.

We mandate the Commission on Care to future-proof the model of care for aging. We would support family carers, as outlined in our Charter for Carers, and invest in day services for older people. We would support specific programmes for people with dementia, Parkinson’s, MS, motor neuron disease, and progressive disorders which recognise the complexity of care, respect the dignity of the individual, and support the family to ensure their loved ones are cared for.

Sinn Féin would enact adult safeguarding legislation. This would provide a legal framework to support safeguarding, additional powers for social workers and relevant social care professionals, and an agency, separate from the HSE, which is empowered to oversee safeguarding policy and practice across the public and private sector and in the home. We would legislate to provide a legal right of entry to any designated care centre for relevant social workers and social care professionals.

We would legislate for a Care Partner scheme similar to that which operates in the north of Ireland. This scheme was highly successful at reducing isolation and improving health outcomes during the pandemic. It gives a right to a family or friends acting as care partners to combat isolation and, during public health emergencies, assist in care giving in residential care facilities.

Sinn Féin Will:

icon_check iconDevelop and implement a comprehensive social care policy to support independent living

icon_check iconImplement a Home First approach to care and a statutory home care scheme

icon_check iconMandate the Commission on Care to future-proof the model of care for aging

icon_check iconEnact adult safeguarding legislation and establish a safeguarding authority

icon_check iconEnact care partner legislation

icon_check iconContinue the development of the integrated care programme for older people and local teams

icon_check iconDevelop and implement a comprehensive adult and older person vaccination programme including targeted RSV and shingles immunisation programmes

icon_check iconInvest in day services for older people,
Develop and implement an Action Plan to Combat Loneliness and Isolation

icon_check iconEmbed mental health and wellbeing in the integrated care programme for older people

icon_check iconProvide for a legal right of entry to any designated care centre for relevant social workers and social care professionals