16 groups band together in call for more support for older people who want to stay at home
Sixteen different organisations have come together to campaign for a major increase in funding for older people who want to remain at home instead of in care facilities.
More than half of older people could stay in their own homes if more support services were available, Age Action has said.
Age Action has joined 15 other groups including ALONE and Family Cares Ireland to call on the Government to urgently increase investment in home care in Budget 2017.
Justin Moran of Age Action said the difference that appropriate home care can make to a family cannot be underestimated.
He said: "The importance of home help hours and home care packages is very difficult for people to understand unless they're in that situation.
"For many people it's the difference between being able to be in their home and in their community and having to go into a hospital or a nursing home.
"For an older person in particular it can be about having some dignity and independence."
