St Helena : St. Helena - CRISIS IN ELDERLY CARE
Submitted by Saint Helena Herald (Juanita Brock) 03.10.2007 (Article Archived on 17.10.2007)
Saint Helena, like many communities around the world, is experiencing an ageing population. Not only are there more older people on the island but people are living longer.
Press Release for News Paper
CRISIS IN ELDERLY CARE
Saint Helena, like many communities around the world, is experiencing an ageing population. Not only are there more older people on the island but people are living longer. While most older people do not require care it is a fact that as people become older they are more likely to need the medical, nursing and care services. In order for the island to provide safe and a good standard of care there must be a partnership between the Public Health and Social Services Department and the community. This partnership will ensure that no one gets left out and the vulnerable are protected.
The projection that was made over twenty years ago regarding an ageing population is now becoming a reality on a scale that is larger than expected and the number of elderly needing care is putting enormous strain on our already stretched health and social care services. The problem is exacerbated by the exodus of younger people from the island so that the PHSSD is finding it increasingly difficult to recruit staff. It is accepted and appreciated that similar problems in this respect are being experienced in other departments.
In order that the elderly care service can best meet the needs of older people any person requiring care is assessed, using a standardised and comprehensive assessment that looks at their physical, psychological, social, housing and financial needs. This will determine the level of care that is required. However, if the results of that assessment dictates that residential care is needed it does not mean that a care place can be automatically made immediately available, and the person may have to remain at home with support. There are times when an elderly person is admitted to hospital and it becomes, for various reasons, very difficult for them to return home. This makes it extremely problematic to provide medical care for the sick and those needing treatment because there is a shortage of beds.
For the last two years all of the care facilities, Sundale, The Haven and the Elderly Care Unit, have been full. This is despite the bed numbers being increased from 45 in 2005 to 58 in 2007. This has led to some older people remaining in hospital for a long time waiting for a bed, which then puts a strain on the hospital as beds are blocked for people in need of acute care. The PHSSD would like to advise the public that in these circumstances a person may need to remain at home until such care becomes available.
The reasons for admission to care include:
- Increasing physical and/or mental frailty
- Isolation
- Families/carers leaving the island
- Inadequate housing
- No home help available
- Falls at home
The new Community Care Complex while providing a substantial improvement in the quality of the facilities for people, particularly as residents will have their own room, is not big enough to cope with demand. To this end money has been set aside to make an extension to the project and build more rooms, and the upper section of The Haven will need to remain open for a while.
The more immediate concern however is staff. With the increased numbers of staff that are required at the CCC and the need to retain staff at The Haven it would be difficult to open the CCC unless more staff can be recruited. Despite all the current vacancies for care assistants and nurses in PHSSD it is not possible to recruit to cover these posts. The department is therefore willing to accept applications from people over the age of 60 who would like to work in the care sector.
This is a crisis situation and not one that is the sole responsibility of PHSSD. It is accepted the department is the lead agency and without the dedication of its staff would not be able to provide the service that it currently does. Furthermore it is becoming increasingly difficult to provide the high standards of care that the department would want to aspire to, this is due to the lack of trained staff.
Caring for the elderly is an issue for the whole community, and if the problem is to be taken seriously there is a need for the community to come together to find a solution.
Public Health and Social Services Department
2 October 2007
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