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Government wants building of old age retirement villages to begin by November 2019

A recent PAC report said it is not clear that the cost of care in public nursing homes is providing value for money to the taxpayer.

THE GOVERNMENT WANTS building works on old age retirement villages to begin by November of next year. 

The Department of Health and the Housing Department have been in discussions over the last few months about putting together a policy to move away from the model of nursing homes towards community based retirement villages, similar to what is seen in the US. 

The retirement villages will be constructed by local authorities and private developers and there will be permanent shared responsibility between the two departments to ensure that homes are maintained and also supported by the HSE.

This will ensure all medical services are readily available to residents living in the retirement villages.

At a recent conference, the Minister with responsibility for older people, Jim Daly, said around €2 billion, from the private and public sectors, could go towards these villages. He gave Kilmaley Retirement Village in Clare as an example – it has operated for 20 years and has a primary care centre, a day centre and a meals-on-wheels operation.

His comments that the government is to phase out nursing homes over the next 20 years caused much controversy from stakeholders in the sector. However, a recent report from the Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee said it was unclear whether the nursing home model was giving value for money for the taxpayer. 

Costing of nursing home care 

The report stated that it is not clear that the cost of care in public nursing homes is providing value for money to the taxpayer. This is due to the fact that of the €1 billion for the Nursing Home Support Scheme, approximately two-thirds is expended on public nursing homes that provide one fifth of capacity.

The Department of Health commenced a Value for Money review of the cost of care in public nursing homes in 2017, and hopes to complete the review by the end
of March 2019.

Given the significant sum of public funds involved, the PAC recommends that the department ensures the report is delivered and published within this timeframe.

Once published, the government intends to set up a stakeholder group in March to begin drafting a policy document on what requirements would be needed for such retirement villages, and what standards developers would have to meet when building them.

shutterstock_128291111 Shutterstock / Robert Kneschke Shutterstock / Robert Kneschke / Robert Kneschke

The group is due to deliver its final report – which has been described by one official as ‘Sláintecare-type document for older people’s houses’ – within six months.

Providing services

The final document will incorporate feedback from all stakeholders and outline a clear policy of how much projects should cost, how much people would have to pay, and also set out the criteria developers would have to meet if they want to tender to build the villages.

It is expected some of the key criteria includes that the retirement villages will offer services such as Meals on Wheels, healthcare and day care services as well as recreational services for users. 

A government source said once the document is published, it will be the finalised policy that is adopted. They said from November, they want developers who are interested in building the villages to be able to contact local authorities and be given a clear set of criteria and costs, and if agreeable, get the work underway immediately once planning has been approved. 

The aim of moving away from the nursing home model towards more home-based community care is to encourage elderly residents to sell their homes and move to a local retirement village. In doing so, larger homes could be placed back on the market for families to purchase.

The proposal, which has been developed by Minister of the Elderly Jim Daly and Minister of State at the Department of Housing Damien English, was first mooted in January of this year.

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45 Comments
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    Mute JesusMoreBullshit
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    Dec 15th 2018, 7:43 PM

    We should look after our elderly without their hard work and sacrifices we would not have anything. Massive respect ✊ to all our elderly.

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    Mute European Bob
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    Dec 15th 2018, 7:58 PM

    @JesusMoreBullshit: Not all, most. Some have never worked a day in their lives and have probably cost the state a seven figure sum by now due to social house, free medical card, 47 years of social welfare payments etc. Sorry, but AFAIC your govt pension should reflect how many years PAYE you’ve paid.

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    Mute Michael Maher
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    Dec 15th 2018, 8:02 PM

    @JesusMoreBullshit: FG likes to leave them on trolleys

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    Mute JesusMoreBullshit
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    Dec 15th 2018, 8:27 PM

    @European Bob: Like anything there is always a few

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    Mute Fr. Fintan Stack
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    Dec 15th 2018, 8:31 PM

    @European Bob: unfortunately the lifestyle you describe is lived by a small percentage of all generations including your own.

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    Mute European Bob
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    Dec 15th 2018, 8:33 PM

    @Fr. Fintan Stack: I’m only too aware of that Father.

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    Mute Fr. Fintan Stack
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    Dec 15th 2018, 8:37 PM

    @European Bob: Bless you my son.

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    Mute Cal Mooney
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    Dec 15th 2018, 9:41 PM

    @JesusMoreBullshit: Sesame street announced a new character for their show this week. It will be an OAP on a trolley in a corridor. The show expects the character to be there a long time.

    39
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    Mute GerryCummins
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    Dec 15th 2018, 11:08 PM

    @Cal Mooney: should people living before they became OAPs not have provided for the fact that someday they would be OAPs? Or were they expecting the State to provide for them, because hard as I look I cannot find any guarantee of thet, nor a free house, nor anything the State owes you!

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    Mute Thomas Paine
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    Dec 15th 2018, 11:29 PM

    @European Bob: plenty also dodged paying tax, voted for the 8th, voted knowingly for corrupt politicians

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    Mute KJ
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    Dec 15th 2018, 7:36 PM

    Another project for their friends.

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    Mute Luke Lee
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    Dec 15th 2018, 7:51 PM

    @KJ: There’s a chunk of the Amazon Rainforest sectioned off to supply the brown envelopes.

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    Mute The Risen
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    Dec 15th 2018, 7:46 PM

    Commencing ‘Operation Secure The Grey Vote ahead of the 2020 election’ in 3…..2…..1….

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    Mute Peter donnelly
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    Dec 15th 2018, 11:00 PM

    @The Risen: it will take a hell of a lot more than a few promises from this crowd of lying cheating basturds who are supposed to be our elected reps not our Lords and masters to get votes from myself and others like me so don’t worry risen I and anyone I know won’t be voting for ffg lab or any of their matestaff. …

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    Mute GerryCummins
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    Dec 15th 2018, 11:09 PM

    @Peter donnelly: who will you be voting for? Cards on table!

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    Mute European Bob
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    Dec 15th 2018, 8:41 PM

    These retirement villages actually aren’t a bad idea. Once they’re not just a cheap way to keep all the old people corralled together. They could have a bar, casino, Hooters, Cannabis café…remember just because the body is old doesn’t mean the mind is also.

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    Mute OzMundy
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    Dec 15th 2018, 11:22 PM

    @European Bob: forget Hooters… grow yer own cannabis. If you prepare for your old age now hopefylly you’ll never need one of these awful places. They only want rob you of your house while they dope you up on nasty chemicals and sit you in front of a window. People have no idea how expensive these places are. Once yer in, theyll keep you alive until yer money runs out.

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    Mute paul jones
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    Dec 16th 2018, 7:37 AM

    @OzMundy: nail on the head, your nothing but an asset to them.

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    Mute Sandra Fogarty Tormey
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    Dec 15th 2018, 7:58 PM

    I’m glad someone is thinking of other options rather than a person loosing all the right’s as they get older. It is coming to us all if we are fortunate to live until old age. I just wish it was fair dealings but of course this is ireland. Brown envelopes will win the day

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    Mute Veronica Conway
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    Dec 15th 2018, 11:34 PM

    @Sandra Fogarty Tormey: so true – agreed

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    Mute Aine O Connor
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    Dec 15th 2018, 9:02 PM

    If properly planned and in the right location retirement villages are a good idea. I know of two such schemes , built and managed by voluntary organizations 30 years ago,They have a central building where residents meet for their main meal every day prepared by the staff .Older people like independence but also need some support. Living alone in isolated areas older people are a target for criminals and many fear for their lives sadly.

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    Mute Anastasia
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    Dec 15th 2018, 8:32 PM

    Yes that’s a great idea can I get a grant to build one I totally agree with this idea there great no more nursing homes live in a community and live life to the full

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    Mute Fr. Fintan Stack
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    Dec 15th 2018, 7:45 PM

    Jeez, I’m getting scared already. Let’s hope my kids don’t read this or they’ll be making plans

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    Mute FartyTowels
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    Dec 15th 2018, 7:52 PM

    @Fr. Fintan Stack: ahh Fr, you have kids?

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    Mute Fr. Fintan Stack
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    Dec 15th 2018, 7:57 PM

    @FartyTowels: well if the bishop can….

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    Mute Adrian
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    Dec 15th 2018, 8:24 PM

    They should be looking a lot more closer to home if they’re wanting to investigate value for money. Such bloody good value for money themselves that they don’t want people knowing what their own political pensions are. Gombeen politicians elected by gombeen people.

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    Mute Sharon O'Doherty
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    Dec 15th 2018, 11:09 PM

    A great idea twenty years behind when it should have started.They are retirement villages , not nursing homes, but try and persuade people of that if know they will end up god knows where because there is land available.That is what people are afraid of.

    They should be built in the communities where people have lived their lives and are familiar with. This would encourage people as they get older to sell up, freeing up houses, but still be in their familiar neighbourhood. That won’t happen in my area because there is only crises planning at the moment and all available land is going to private developers.

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    Mute Aine O Connor
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    Dec 16th 2018, 4:47 AM

    @Sharon O’Doherty:
    So true

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    Mute Frank McGlynn
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    Dec 15th 2018, 8:49 PM

    Good idea. I just hope they have Sky Sports before I get there.

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    Mute Of a break. Of a Kitkat.
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    Dec 15th 2018, 10:07 PM

    @Frank McGlynn: I hope there’s a resident weed dealer by the time I get there.

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    Mute Maurice Dodd
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    Dec 15th 2018, 8:49 PM

    These snake flying kites
    I smell propaganda

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    Mute Bertrand Dierckens
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    Dec 15th 2018, 8:17 PM

    Sounds like ghettoes.

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    Mute European Bob
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    Dec 15th 2018, 8:36 PM

    @Bertrand Dierckens: They’ll be doing drive bys on their mobility scooters

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    Mute Orla Cosgrave
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    Dec 15th 2018, 8:46 PM

    Dunlaoghaire/Rathdown County Council voted down such a plan a couple of years ago. I can’t see any retirement villages being built anytime soon.

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    Mute Sean O' Donovan
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    Dec 15th 2018, 9:37 PM

    Retirement villages or mass burial pits (famine style) for former working class OAPs?

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    Mute hasnooneasked
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    Dec 15th 2018, 11:31 PM

    The Gov can’t even fix the homeless crisis and they want to build retirement villages. So they can build them in 2019 but what about the rest of the housing we need

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    Mute DeFonz
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    Dec 15th 2018, 10:07 PM

    As an old grey one I would hate to end up in that type of of place, give me a few grand and a stricnine tablet and see if I can knock a last blast out out of this place.

    Save the taxpayer to boot

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    Mute Moorooka Mick
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    Dec 16th 2018, 12:05 AM

    The Government owned these a few years ago via NAMA but sold them for peanut!

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    Mute Michael O'Sullivan
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    Dec 16th 2018, 2:40 AM

    Have no problem with the concept. There’s only so much housing stock in every community. So ideally, every community should have a housing structure that includes people ‘releasing’ stock back into community so long as their needs are being met. The payback is each community looks after their own, utilising the resources available in the community-which won’t be there unless the State is prepared to acknowledge the cost savings to the State if such a scheme

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    Mute Ross Fehily
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    Dec 15th 2018, 8:06 PM

    To hell or to connaught! Ship all the crusties to Roscommon

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    Mute Maria Clery-Breen
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    Dec 16th 2018, 10:13 AM

    Could they build a few of these retirement homes in Spain please

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    Mute Donal Desmond
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    Dec 16th 2018, 3:02 AM

    It has always an incitement on society that the elders would be cared for. In the present society it is a business. The present government supported by the party that facilitated in the economic destruction of this country can’t even sort out the homelessness, Housing crisis, crumbling health service.

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    Mute Aine O Connor
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    Dec 16th 2018, 4:42 AM

    @Donal Desmond:
    Much of the-care of the elderly and childcare was carried out by the full time mother in the home and other family members , e.g. unmarried son or daughter. These full time 24/7 carers received no help , financial or otherwise or recognition for the valuable work they were doing in society for free.
    Even to this day carers are not appreciated for the sacrifices they make for their loved ones.
    Care of the elderly and childcare outside the home is big business now costing an arm and a leg.

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    Mute Gasher
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    Dec 16th 2018, 9:51 AM

    In the middle of a housing crises, these muppets are talking about building retirement villages. They can’t renovate housing that’s lying empty never mind build a whole village.

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    Mute Seamus G
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    Dec 16th 2018, 8:53 PM

    Christina you quoted a report that said ‘ two thirds of the 1 billion is spend on public beds which make up one fifth of the capacity’. This is incorrect. It is approx ONE third.

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