Leopardstown Park Hospital nursing home

BrianD3

Privacy and dignity of residents found to be "severely compromised"

https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2022/0426/1294361-hiqa-inspections/

I looked on their website and couldn't easily determine if it was a voluntary or public nursing home. I didn't see a HSE logo anywhere - I doubt that this is accidental. Then when i looked up the Fair Deal agreed cost, it is listed as a public nursing home. So this debacle is the responsibility of the state, it can't be dismissed as being a private sector greed issue.

But speaking of money, cost per week of residential care in this facility? Up to 1952 euros per week. Over 100 grand a year. That cost is borne by the taxpayer or resident or both. As the facility is located in South Dublin, it is very likely that many residents own a valuable home and are therefore paying a large proportion of this 100 grand per year themselves and experiencing severely compromised privacy and dignity for that.

I wonder what the solution to these issue is - more money needing to be extracted from the residents/taxpayer? Also, the more that property prices rise, the more that can be extracted from the homeowner.

https://www2.hse.ie/services/fair-deal-scheme/public-nursing-homes-cost-of-care-2022.pdf

BattleCorp

I think it's what's known as a voluntary centre, kind of inbetween public and private. I think it's owned by a Trust on behalf of the State and funded by the HSE.

I do have a tiny bit of sympathy for the nursing home here. Standards have changed as time has progressed. They are saddled with a very old building that was designed over 100 years ago as a hospital for injured British soldiers and was added to over the years. The building is like many publically owned nursing homes, it's no longer fit for purpose according to today's standards. They'd need to half the capacity and redesign the building internally to conform to today's standards. The problem is that if they half the capacity, where do they move the residents to as there's a shortage of capacity. New purpose-built nursing homes are needed to replace all of these crap buildings.

It's expensive to care for people in nursing homes. Ultimately, the Fair Deal Scheme is only able to reclaim a maximum of 22.5% of your house value upon your death (if you have a house) and 80% of your weekly income. Good for the State (taxpayer) if you've a very valuable house and significant annual income but not so good if you have a €100k house or no house at all and are on the State pension. I doubt that many people there have expensive houses. If you were well off, you'd probably try get into a private nursing home with better conditions.

You'll never be able to extract enough money from residents to pay for their care. It's simply too expensive. Bottom line, the taxpayer is always going to be on the hook for a heap of money when it comes to looking after the elderly in nursing homes.

Spanish Eyes

Private Nursing Homes often have a lower weekly cost than public ones. Fair Deal is open to all and residents can apply to any nursing home public or private, makes no difference whether you have substantial means or not. It is true though that a higher cost accrues via FD to those in receipt of substantial income and/or property. But it doesn't matter if you don't have any of that either.

I agree that many public NH are way out of date and require a huge investment to bring them up to standard. HIQA are quite good at inspections of same and recommendations/reports on substandard accommodation etc. At last.

I can see public nursing homes being closed down bit by bit and that purpose being contracted out the private sector. It is happening already.

The nursing home accommodation can then be used for refugees short term. Takes time to commission and build nursing homes though, but I speak from a relative's experience, a good NH is worth its weight in gold. Residents need advocates to make sure they are placed in good homes.

L1011

Voluntary - state funded but not state owned or operated. It was British Government run til about 50 years ago.

BrianD3

If it is voluntary then it is on the wrong Fair Deal list. It is on the Public list - there is a different list for Private and Voluntary

https://www2.hse.ie/file-library/fair-deal/cost-of-voluntary-and-private-nursing-homes.pdf

No one on boards gives a sh1t about old people - this thread will struggle to get to page 2- that is until, about 2038-,then the original boardsies who started this forum will be up in arms and complaining about how old people are treated and digging up old threads like this one.

I tried many times through the years to highlight elderly abuse and injustice on boards but seriously, you’re wasting your time