In a report commissioned by Nursing Homes Ireland, BDO chartered accountants find that demand for nursing home beds is now exceeding supply in parts of the country, and the shortage is widening rapidly.

Putting numbers on it, 100 additional nursing homes will be needed over the next seven years to cater from an additional 8,000 people approximately.

The number of people aged 85 and over is rising significantly and one in five of these needs long-term residential care.

This will present tough challenges on the country. If nursing home care capacity is not increased, the consequence is that hospital beds will be occupied instead, with a knock on effect on surgical waiting lists and the health system generally. For individuals and their families the questions of “what to do” and “where to go” will be asked, but may not be adequately answered.

The report points out that the cost of providing care in an acute hospital is up to eight times that of providing care in a nursing home.

Nursing Home Ireland Chief Executive Tadhg Daly is calling for urgent investment in this area.

For further reading:

Article in the Irish Examiner on Wednesday 12th February 2014

Nursing Homes Ireland article on the subject. 11th February 2014

The full BDO report: Health’s Ageing Crisis: Time for Action