ALONE expresses concern over new reports of abuse in nursing home
Dublin, 11th April 2016 ALONE has expressed concern over new reports of abuse in a nursing home. According to claims in newly released documents, residents in a nursing home suffered physical and emotional abuse at the hands of their carers, were refused showers and left short of food.
Sean Moynihan, CEO of ALONE, commented “It is very distressing to read reports of some of our most vulnerable citizens being neglected and even abused in our nursing homes. These are places that older people should feel safe and secure in the later years of their lives. It is especially worrying to hear of these reports now, considering the recent convictions for abuse of vulnerable older people in care homes. We must reflect on what this says about us as a society that this is allowed to continue.”
He continued, “The state is paying millions each year for nursing homes to provide care for our older people, and yet we know that some of these centres are not delivering on this promise. We are calling on the government to increase the levels of monitoring to ensure standards are implemented and vulnerable service users are safeguarded. We also need to ensure that if a claim of abuse is made, that appropriate and decisive action can be taken.”
ALONE has been campaigning on this issue since the first nursing homes were closed due to poor standards of care. They are asking the government to implement plans for Ireland’s ageing demographic, including increasing the standards in nursing homes and supporting older people who wish to age at home.
Sean Moynihan concluded, “In Ireland we have a long history of institutional abuse where we have failed to protect our most vulnerable people in care settings. These reports highlight the importance of keeping older people in their community, with a wider support network, linked in with family and friends. In ALONE we strongly believe that older people should be supported to age at home for as long as possible.”