Nursing Homes Only Deliver 3.6 Hours of Care Per Day Per Resident

Last month, business advisors BDO Ireland , released results from a survey carried out in the Irish Nursing Home sector. Their report stated that on average nursing home residents in Ireland received 3.61 hours of direct care per day in 2021. Direct care refers to care and support provided by a nurse or a health care assistant, and includes time spent with such staff during activities.??

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Support

Understanding the level of support nursing homes provide is essential for long term care decisions, especially when comparing home care solutions with nursing home supervision. Discussions on care placements need to consider the risks involved. No long-term care placement can ever be entirely risk free. For example, there is evidence that the risk of falls, loneliness and cognitive decline can all increase after nursing home admission.

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Ageism

Ageism influences family decision making around long-term care. Social worker and advocate Sinéad McGarry recently tweeted that she has seen situations where “an older person is told they 'must' move into a nursing home due to physical frailty.” She says “Their physical safety is prioritised over their happiness and the older person is sidelined from the decision.”

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Safeguarding

It is critical to safeguard an older person’s right to make their own decisions on where they receive their care. Health care professionals and families must understand the difference between 24/7 care and 24/7 supervision, and that the risks inherent in any long-term care environment are balanced with the needs and wishes of the service user.