Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 July 2026
379. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Health whether her Department has assessed the potential role of professionally managed home sharing as a preventative support to help older people remain living independently by reducing loneliness, improving safety, supporting timely hospital discharge and delaying admission to long-term residential care; and, if no such assessment has been undertaken, the reasons for this. [53792/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Irish Government’s strategic goal is to deliver a new model of integrated older persons’ health and social care services, across the care continuum, supporting older people to remain living independently in their own homes and communities for longer, in line with the Sláintecare vision for receiving the right care, in the right place, and at the right time.
Central to Sláintecare is the re-orientation of care into the community, the expansion of primary and community care, and a strong emphasis on prevention, helping people to stay healthier for longer.
The current Programme for Government commits to a range of initiatives aimed at supporting people to age in place, including the development of a statutory home support scheme, additional home support hours, dementia supports, day centres, meals on wheels, and supports for family carers.
A core aim of the Government is also to increase the housing options available to older people and to facilitate the integration of supports in a more coherent way between the housing and health sectors, allowing more older people to live with dignity and independence for longer.
As Minister for Older People and Housing, and in the context of the new national housing plan, ‘Delivering Homes, Building Communities 2025-2030’, I am committed to increasing the delivery of housing choices to facilitate older people to age in place with independence. To this end, the Department of Health will continue to explore all options, and to engage with all relevant stakeholders, to support older people to live independently in their homes and communities for as long as possible.
