A Kerry County Councillor says people with Alzheimer’s have to travel more than 50 miles in some cases to avail of respite places.
Cllr Michael Foley says some people, who have dementia and who’re living in North Kerry, have to travel to Kenmare for respite care.
He says others living in the Listowel area have to go to Newcastle West and Dromcollogher in County Limerick because there isn’t a respite bed available in North Kerry.
Cllr Foley says a private nursing home in Listowel that closed almost 18 months ago should be taken over by the HSE in order to provide extra respite beds.
Fine Gael councilor Michael Foley has called on the HSE to provide more respite beds for the catchment of North Kerry.
Speaking at the HSE Regional Health Forum South meeting, he described the distances that some people with Alzheimer’s have to travel to get respite care.
He says figures he got from the HSE last year showed there were nine respite beds in the county’s five community hospitals, of which two were in the Listowel facility.
He says the HSE should consider taking in charge the former Oaklands Nursing Home in Derry, Listowel which could be used to provide extra respite beds.
The private nursing home was closed following a COVID-19 outbreak which resulted in the deaths of nine residents.
The chief officer for Cork Kerry Community Healthcare, Michael Fitzgerald said with regard to the catchment area of North Kerry, there is a dedicated allocation of respite beds in Listowel Community Hospital and that emergency respite is also available.
