New research, funded by the Irish Cancer Society (ICS ), reveals stark levels of energy hardship experienced by cancer patients receiving palliative care at home.
Of the nurses surveyed, one in three nurses providing end of life care in homes across the country say they have experienced patients’ homes without any heating.
Meanwhile, three in five nurses reported households had difficulty paying bills like mortgage, rent and utilities, while two in three nurses reported that their patients struggle to afford home heating while almost half (46% ) reported that there was no central heating systems in the homes they are working in.
The research was carried out by a team led by Dr. Suzanne Denieffe of South East Technological University (SETU ).
Further, hugely concerning findings also reveal that nurses reported observing damp (64% ), mould (50% ) and condensation (70% ) in the homes where they are delivering vital palliative care. Nurses report that these conditions can have a physical and mental impact.
“To think of anyone in their final days not having adequate heat is absolutely heartbreaking. The very least we should be able to provide to someone with a terminal illness like cancer, is comfort. This research shows these patients, and their families are suffering needlessly at an already highly stressful and emotional time. Imagine at the end of life you are wrapped up in blankets with a hot water bottle because you don’t have household heating? Imagine the distress you would feel as the loved one of a terminally ill person when you struggle to pay the heating bill? Unfortunately, this is the reality for some. It is appalling to see the level of energy hardship being experienced by these patients, to see them struggling to heat their homes and pay their bills.”
“At the Irish Cancer Society, we have long campaigned and called for targeted financial supports from Government to help those who have received a cancer diagnosis deal with the cost of cancer. The experiences of patients reflected in this research underlines why Government needs to better financially support all people diagnosed with cancer, including palliative care patients. Specifically, we are calling for patients to be automatically entitled to the Household Benefits Package, the Fuel Allowance Payment, and the Additional Needs Payment. Each year, more than 9,000 people die from cancer in Ireland. All anybody wants is for their loved one to be comfortable and to live well at the end of life. The end result of ignoring these calls is cancer patients dying in cold homes,” Averil Power, CEO of the Irish Cancer Society, responding today to the stark findings, said.
In light of these stark findings, the Irish Cancer Society is today reiterating its calls, which have been made to successive Governments in pre-budget submissions, to introduce the following:
Expand the Household Benefits Package to include those with a cancer diagnosis.
Automatically extend eligibility to the Fuel Allowance payment to people diagnosed with cancer immediately and ensure access to the full 2023/24 entitlement.
Extend the Additional Needs Payment to people with a cancer diagnosis to alleviate some of the financial burden. The burdensome application procedure with a means test should be waived for this group and a cancer diagnosis should be the only qualifying criterion for accessing the payment for a cancer patient or their carer.
