AGE Concern Isle of Man has welcomed the Department of Health and Social Security's decision to postpone the end of long-term admissions to three residential homes.
Chief executive Penny Creighton said she was looking forward taking part in consultation to be held by the DHSS.
She said while the charity strongly support the department's aim of increased home care in the community, its concern was that the policy was implemented 'so quickly' causing unnecessary panic.
The DHSS closed the three homes to long term admissions last month – Glenside and Reayrt ny Baie Resource Centres, in Douglas, and Cummal Mooar Resource Centre, in Ramsey – with the aim of transferring resources to community-based services, including home care, community care and dementia care
But it has now re-opened them because of 'external cost pressures' in the department, and will introduce the change gradually as resources become available.
Mrs Creighton said there was 'a lot of panic and genuine concern' that people – both carers and the elderly – would be unable to cope.
'It was hard to reassure people it would all be alright,' she said.
She urged a solution to be found to the problem of how best to care for the elderly, saying that more people are living longer.
'The problem is not going to go away,' she said.
'There is no easy solution because whatever you do it is going to cost money. But when you get to the end of your life you want a quality of life.
'People need to get round the table and look what the options are in terms of cost and what is best for the elderly, so they feel they are not just a nuisance or that their care will deteriorate.'
She added: 'What people really need is the choice to stay at home as long as they can or go into long term residential care.'
>> Halting care home admissions still 'right way forward - health minister18 July 2008>> Elderly are being 'thrown to the wolves', says MHK10 June 2008>> Your Shout: Care homesThe full article contains 355 words and appears in n/a newspaper.
