Nursing Homes Ireland (NHI) has said that rising operational costs and pressures on the Fair Deal Scheme have resulted in the closure of at least 77 nursing homes since 2018.
Its annual conference today has heard that last year 10 homes closed and seven so far this year and that the total loss of beds is 2,600. Most of the closures have been in rural areas.
New research commissioned by NHI shows that nearly six out of 10 people are very or extremely concerned that their loved ones may be unable to secure nursing home care in the local community.
The research by Coyne Research in August involved 1,000 people.
Chief Executive of NHI Tadgh Daly said the Fair Deal Scheme was 15 years old and not fit for purpose and needs urgent reform.
Minister of State at the Department of Health Mary Butler who has responsibility for older people said that each home gets a minimum of €1,000 per resident a week.
She said that with new providers of care coming into the sector, an extra 900 to 1,000 beds had been added.
Minister Butler said that under the Fair Deal Scheme, the more money people have, the more they pay, the less they have the less they pay.
She said there are 22,300 residents in homes receiving care.
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