The Carers Association hosted a pre-budget briefing meeting in Dublin recently for TDs and senators, urging government not to cut payments for carers in the up-coming mini-budget.
Following government’s decision not to publish the long awaited National Carers Strategy, the organisation is also seeking the implementation of cost-neutral proposals to address growing threats affecting the provision of care in the home.
Pressures are set to increase on Kilkenny family carers with latest research finding that the number of people aged over 65 years is set to increase by 80 per cent to over 800,000 by 2025. Fair Deal, the new nursing home regulations being implemented this year, will also see state support being taken from Kilkenny patients requiring medium care, available only to those requiring high levels of care.
“A rapidly growing older population as well as new nursing home regulations will have a very serious impact on the level of care required in Kilkenny,” says Pat Grogan, Centre Manager, The Carers Association Kilkenny and Carlow. “Following the disgraceful decision not to publish the long fought for National Carers Strategy, we are asking government not to cut essential social welfare supports for family carers. We are also calling on government to implement our cost neutral proposals to help address the serious lack of supports provided for Kilkenny carers”.
“Demographic projections make it imperative that carers are at the top of government’s agenda. We urge government to recognise the sacrifices made by Kilkenny carers who provide over 79,736 hours of care in the home every week saving the state over €53 million per year", says Grogan. "Government’s decision not to publish the National Carers Strategy is a major set-back for Kilkenny family care and we urge the implementation of our cost-neutral proposals of pooling existing resources without additional costs and taking a partnership approach to the crises facing family carers and care in the community over the coming years.”
