Wasted lives : time for a better future for younger people in nursing homes

Publication

Wasted lives : time for a better future for younger people in nursing homes

Citation

Ireland. Office of the Ombudsman, 'Wasted lives : time for a better future for younger people in nursing homes', [report], Office of Ombudsman, 2021-05-05

Description

In recent years, my Office has received a number of complaints from people under 65 who were living in nursing homes for older people, because they could not access the support which would enable them to live in their own homes in the community. It quickly became evident to us that these individuals were part of a much larger problem, with estimates placing the number of people in such circumstances as more than 1,300. This report is not a criticism of nursing homes. It is instead about the inappropriateness of nursing homes as accommodation for the people concerned ... It is time now to develop an energetic, well-resourced and effective strategy to stop more people being inappropriately admitted to nursing homes, and to work with those already there so that they can move out at the earliest possible opportunity. The recommendations in this report are designed to bring that about.