title: Health care for older people in Ireland.
abstract: Despite a low level of popular advocacy for older people, specialist medical and psychiatric services for older people have developed rapidly in Ireland, and geriatric medicine has become the largest medical specialty in hospital practice. Official policy has incorporated significant recognition of the special needs of older people, but implementation of these policies has been variable and inadequate. No significant transfer of funding has accompanied advances in specialist medical manpower, and there are deficiencies in the full complement of rehabilitation therapists available in the hospitals and the community. Community and long-term care services are relatively underdeveloped; it may require legislative initiatives similar to the Older Americans Act to prompt the profound improvement required in these areas.
authors.affiliation: Trinity Center for Health Sciences, Adelaide and Meath Hospital, Dublin, Ireland. des.oneill@amnch.ie
authors.forename: Desmond
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: O'Neill
authors.forename: Shaun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: O'Keeffe
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003153:Community Health Services; D003254:Consumer Advocacy; D005260:Female; D005853:Geriatrics / Q000639:trends*; D006291:Health Policy; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000592:standards; D006707:Homes for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland; D008017:Life Expectancy; D008134:Long-Term Care; D008297:Male; D011203:Poverty; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D011788:Quality of Life; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D000078329:Workforce