Successive governments have run down public nursing homes to make way for private sector expansion.
Nursing homes are now owned by global multinationals who profit from the state, and the elderly.
The French-based Orpea Groupe own 21 care facilities with 1,800 beds. Mowlam Health Care, owned by Irish investors, has 25 homes with 1,462 beds. The British-based Carechoice has 14 homes with 1,310 beds.
These for-profit companies are forcing the elderly to pay charges of over €3,600 a year, depleting their pensions or savings.
There are top up charges for chiropody, physiotherapy, and ‘activities’ such as bingo and quizzes. They make them pay for nursing home doctors even if they have a medical card.
They pay their staff – many of whom are migrant workers – minimum wages.
Beds cost on average €1,057 a week and most of this is covered by the Fair Deal scheme.
Last year they got €1 billion in state support and then an extra €220 million in Covid supports.
Research shows that private nursing homes give a lower quality of care than public nursing homes.
We need to end this rip-off scandal and return care homes to full public ownership and control.
