Throughout Ireland senior citizens are in real need of better care, dignity, respect and autonomy. So many have no voice. Let us Stand in Solidarity with our senior citizens.

Older people make up the the greatest demographic within our healthcare system in Ireland. They have insufficient self-determination, little or no autonomy when it comes to being active participants deciding what kind of care and services they want. The majority of older people want to remain in their homes within their communities and need greater support services  delivered in their homes on 'their' terms to ensure this happens now. Currently this is not happening. Care agencies are not properly regulated or monitored independently. Schedules are prioritized before those they are paid to provide care services for. The dictatorial style of care providers needs to stop. All facets of care and services for older people needs  to enable our older citizens to remain independent and live a better quality of life in their own homes within their communities where they can keep in touch easier with family, friends and neighbours and still add value within their communities. We need and are calling upon Government to stop enabling the HSE to devalue our older people. We need legislation with powers of enforcement to ensure all service providers, hospitals, residential institutions adhere to Human rights law, and that regulations are also enforced and  all HSE sectors/contractors are held accountable.

We want to see a paradigm shift away from the longstanding ageist culture and discriminatory style of care within the HSE and services provided by them to our older people.

We are calling on all Government to have the courage to demonstrate political will and adhere not only to their constitutional obligations but adhere to their International Human rights obligations to every single senior citizen in this country.Ensure the necessary legislation is enacted and enshrined to protect our older citizens from abuse and negligence. Restore and protect the dignity, autonomy, independence of every single older person in Ireland. Quit the babysitting culture !

The Irish people need you all to listen to the older generation because it concerns us all.

The older generation have been silent for too long, ignored and in many cases have been forgotten or are expected to simply just have to 'get by' . It is no longer acceptable to turn a blind eye. Age discrimination is endemic within the HSE and is reflected within their polices.

1. We are calling on the Irish Government to enforce Human Rights laws now to ensure they are adhered and enforced when violated . Where legislation is lacking in this respect to create/enact new legislation. HSE need to be held accountable for human rights violations, non adherence to regulations, health and safety, and standards of practice.  Government are responsible for legislation to ensure our older generation are put before profit.

2. End the Ageist culture existing both within Irish society but more importantly which has been and continues to govern and guide policies within the HSE. We need to re-envision how our older generation are viewed and treated in this country.

3. Respect our older peoples Human rights to determine and guide those caring for them or delivering services on the type of care they want and how it is delivered - self determination, dignity, independence must be the guiding force . We are calling for an end to the current status quo of passive recipient culture for our older people within the system. 

4. Ban the  long waits in A&E, the indignity of our elderly on trolleys for      countless hours.

5. Bring back Holistic individual care plans within hospitals, respite and nursing care residences that include and take into account the emotional, psychological, and spiritual needs which are really being neglected completely due to a lack of resources and a lack of comprehensive understanding, cultural differences and a lack of education among staff.

6. Educate All care givers, doctors, nursing staff to properly respect and see the individual not the age and adhere to respecting not only the human rights of older people but to adhere to a strict code of conduct. This must be enforceable .

7. Dignity is a basic human right it must be enforced, respected and if violated not be ignored. HSE policies or shortcomings cannot excuse or precede any older persons human rights. For example Men should not be accompanying women to the toilet or assisting with personal care in any case. This is currently being violated in all care settings by the HSE/providers due to staff shortages. This is a brazen violation of an individuals basic human rights. We are calling on government to challenge this now under E.U and International Human rights law and bring this to the European court of law.

8. Ensure our seniors are educated in all aspects of their own healthcare whether that be regarding their conditions, medications. They should be fully informed, and given time to fully understand if unsure. They should always be given choices ,should never be pressured or rushed and should always be  listened to. This is not currently happening. They should have right to query, question or complain or given access to further counsel without fear or prejudice.

9. Stop the 'One size fits all policies' for the care of our older people within acute primary, secondary, and tertiary services in Ireland.

!0. We are also calling on the minister for health and the Irish government along with the HSE to introduce genuine and sufficient support to carers(unpaid/paid), nurses ,and doctors by increasing staffing levels throughout the sector now. Introduction of shorter shifts for staff. This would help alleviate exhaustion and burnout which increases risks for patients and offers healthcare staff. Remove means testing for all carers offering free care to loved ones but who cannot receive financial assistance . In many cases women are the primary caregivers. Remove the need to account or provide the financial information of spouses. Women are individuals and should receive financial assistance from social welfare independent of their spouse or partners income. This is outdated and unjust.

11. Remove the over reliance on Nursing homes for long term care for our older people.Promote and support self reliance, and enable our older people to remain at home in their own homes on their own terms by increasing supports and services. We are calling on government to allocate budget now for night care hours within homecare packages for older people within their homes. Our older people want to stay at home. This is also a human rights issue. By denying them the choice and proper supports to stay at home and within their communities the HSE/government are not adhering to International Human rights law-Self determination and independence of our older people.

12. Stop the poor and unsafe conditions in our hospitals, and nursing homes.

13. Enforce Accountability at directorship and managerial level if standards are not met.

14. Introduce mandatory Independent and impartial Complaints departments within hospitals- these are not currently in place. Impartial independent organisations need to be put in place to protect older people and their families to ensure fair redress when things go wrong or complaints are not dealt with. Get rid of HIQA. Reappropriate monies from this non efficient entity for those in need of Night care support hours in their own homes.

15. Stop government legal funding for the HSE and offer legal impartial assistance to patients/families. Currently there is no free impartial legal protections/representation for patients or their families in the event of something going wrong within care settings.

16. Greater hygiene practices need to be enforced . All medical/care staff need to be trained properly and vetted and all trained in IPC. Currently this is not happening which has been and continues to put patients, residents and older people in receipt of services within communities at a huge risk.

17. Free continuous mandatory physiotherapy services/rehabilitation for all older people not only in hospitals and residential settings but within their communities and homes.

18. Invest HSE funds in people , we need more nurses, Carers and doctors, physiotherapists, Occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, chaplains etc in our hospitals, and health services across Ireland now. Fairer and increased salaries

19. End the polypharmacy culture for our older people. Better and more conscientious and educated focus on nutrition within hospitals and nursing homes.

20. We need improved community care services, quicker turn around times for equipment, and services within the community. Increased home care services and greater flexibility for individual needs(many seniors do not want to have to go to bed at 8 pm each night or may like to have the right to choose different times for different days. Home Night care needs to be introduced and offered by the HSE urgently for those who live alone. HSE contracted agencies need to be monitored and enforcement applied when it comes to ensuring staff are properly trained, experienced and adhering to best practice. They need to be properly Garda vetted. They need to be properly trained in IPC. Flexibility and choice needs to be guided by clients . None of this is currently happening. Our older people should not feel like they are institutionalised in their own homes. Dignity and respect and independence needs to be protected for all our older people within their own homes. A firm code of conduct needs to be adhered to by all staff of agencies , this is currently not happening . Family members need to be extended the same respect by agency staff . This is currently not happening. The protections/freedoms and human rights of those in receipt of care services within their private homes need to be respected and enforced via legislation/code of conduct.

Our older generation have so much to offer society. Unfortunately our government and the HSE are not showing they value our older generation through their inaction, lack of political will and shortcomings. We all know actions speak louder than words !  Their inaction is letting all our older people and their families down.

Let us get rid of the current nanny ethos, give our senior citizens  back their voices, their choices, and their sense of dignity. Our Mothers, Fathers, and Grandparents deserve a better today. Their lives and time is so precious. Human rights need to be upheld and protected at all stages of life. " 

As Florence Nightingale said : "Never lose an opportunity of urging a practical beginning, however small, for it is wonderful how often in such matters the mustard-seed germinates and roots itself."

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