Families who lost loved ones in nursing homes during covid pandemic 'finally being heard'
The Nursing Could Care Up Facing During Charges Homes Into Their Criminal 30 Be To Pandemic
Families of nursing home residents who died during the covid-19 pandemic "feel cautiously optimistic after finally being heard" as it emerged that up to 30 facilities could be facing criminal charges into their care.
A Garda probe of the care received by a resident in a Cork nursing home is a "test case" for families, the Care Champions advocacy group said.
The had reported that pending the outcome of that individual probe, up to 30 homes could face investigation into the care of residents in the most serious and deadly phases of the pandemic.
Care Champions spent most of Thursday consulting with families, with founder Majella Beattie saying they feel cautiously optimistic.
"So far they have been met with stonewalling, delays, being ignored," Ms Beattie said. "Now that gardaí are investigating this test case, there is great hope in some ways. People are finally acknowledging and listening.
The families will go to the Dáil on October 24, when they hope to be recognised for their efforts, she added.
"We have always been a dignified group. All that we want is the truth and have some closure to what has been very traumatic."
There is not a nationwide, overarching investigation relating to deaths during the pandemic for which statistics can be provided, according to gardaí.
"Investigations into deaths in residential homes are investigated individually, on a case-by-case basis, to determine the exact cause of death and assist local coroners," said a Garda spokesperson.
"Where evidence of criminality is disclosed, files may be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions [DPP]."
A third of deaths in the first two years of the covid-19 pandemic were in nursing homes, according to data.
Almost 9,200 deaths have been reported due to covid-19 since the beginning of the pandemic in Ireland, a report by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre said this week.
As well as the criminal investigations, a number of civil cases are being taken by families against the HSE and nursing homes.
Nursing Homes Ireland chief executive Tadhg Daly warned against "scapegoating" the sector in response to the report of the investigation into the Cork facility.
Nobody knew what was coming at the beginning of the pandemic, with the sector being forgotten, he claimed.
At the Nursing Homes Ireland annual conference in Kilkenny on Thursday, Mr Daly said facilities in the country needed significant bolstering of funds, with the country ill-prepared as people live longer.
"Our members are at the mercy of State-sponsored inflation. We’re not like a hotel that can increase its charges, we are on a fixed tariff," he said.
Deputy chief nursing officer at the Department of Health, Karen Greene, told the conference that the proportion of over-65s in Ireland will double by 2050 to 25%.