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The new force combining Age Concern logo & Help the Aged logo

Health care

The ageing population in Northern Ireland has resulted in an increasing number of older people living into very old age, and this trend is set to continue, with the number of those aged 80 and over almost doubling in the next twenty years.

This presents a huge challenge for social care provision as the number of individuals with care needs will increase dramatically, placing increased demands on these services.  Lack of adequate funding and efficiency savings have resulted in the closure of care homes and services such as home helps and meals-on-wheels.  In many areas only those assessed with the highest levels of need are receiving a care package.  This continuing trend of withdrawing services from those with care needs at the lower end of the spectrum will result in those individuals developing significant health problems and incur higher costs down-the-line.  It is imperative that funding of the care system in Northern Ireland is reviewed as a matter of urgency.

The last Northern Ireland census in 2001 reported that more than 1 in 5 of those providing unpaid care were aged 60 or over.  With an ageing population it would be reasonable to expect that this proportion of older carers has increased again since this time. Such statistics demonstrate that older people are at risk in the very environment that is supposed to provide care, respect & protection.  Older people must not be compromised by poor standards of care and instead, political leaders must work to provide safe spaces where older people are looked after with respect and dignity.

Age NI calls for:

  • A review of how care is paid for and delivered in Northern Ireland
  • A greater focus to be given to low level, practical and support needs
  • Increased funding to be made available for Personal Social Services under the Elderly Programme of Care
  • The introduction of measures to ensure that service users receive the correct information and advice regarding their care
  • The abolishment of the ‘overlapping’ rule for Carers Allowance and the State Pension

Your Age NI

Set your location to see what Age NI offers in your local area.

Age NI Advice:
0808 808 7575

Home & care publications

  • Guides and factsheets aimed to keep you informed about issues surrounding home and care.

    Download and share our Community Care factsheets.

      View all home & care downloads Help with Downloads

      Downloads

      What is a download?

      A download is a document (like a research report, a leaflet, or an application form) that can be transferred from our website to your computer. You can download a file, view it on your screen, print it, or save it to your computer.

      What is a PDF?

      PDF stands for ‘portable document format’.

      Most downloads on this website are PDFs. We use this format to ensure that the document looks the same on everyone’s computer (website pages, by contrast, appear differently depending on how people have got their computer set up).

      How do I download a PDF?

      Computers use a program called Adobe Acrobat Reader to download PDFs. If you try clicking on a link to download a PDF and it doesn’t work, you will need to install Adobe Acrobat Reader onto your computer.

      How do I install Adobe Acrobat Reader?

      The process is quite straightforward and is free.

      1. Go to opens link in new window http://get.adobe.com/uk/reader/
      2. Click ‘Download’.
      3. Wait for the window to offer you the option to ‘Run’, then choose this option.
      4. Click ‘Next’.
      5. Click ‘Install’
      6. Wait for the window to offer you the option to ‘Finish’, then choose this option.

      How do I change a download?

      PDFs cannot be changed. If you need to be able to type into a downloaded document (for example, if we are offering a letter template that you need to put your name on) we will provide it as a Microsoft Word document rather than a PDF. You can then download it, type into it and save it to your computer.

      How do I print or save a download?

      Downloads will open on your computer in a new browser window.

      Inside this window (below all your web browser menus), there will be a toolbar with options for you to print or save the document.

      Close the browser window to return to the Age UK website.

      Can my screen reader read PDF downloads?

      We have made every effort to make our PDFs accessible to screen readers. Here is an overview of your accessibility options available in Acrobat Reader. Please ensure that you have downloaded the latest version of Acrobat Reader from the Adobe Reader website to ensure that they are included in your version of the programme.

      You can use Adobe Reader to read a PDF out loud with the following shortcut keys:

      • Read the document: Shift +Ctrl+Y
      • Read the open page only: Shift +Ctrl+V
      • Read to the end of the document: Shift+Ctrl+B
      • Pause: Shift+Ctrl+C
      • Stop Shift+Ctrl+E


      You can also convert a PDF into a web page by following these steps:

      • Copy the URL (web address) of the document (right-click on the link and select ‘Save target as’ or ‘Copy link’).
      • Open the Adobe online conversion tool in your browser and paste the URL into the URL box.
      • Tick the HTML box on the Format option and click ‘Convert’.


      You can convert a PDF document into a text file for use with other software and hardware such as Braille printers by opening the PDF and choosing ‘Save as text’ from the File menu.

    Useful websites

    • Advice from NI Direct government services on support and safety in your home.

    • The Warm Homes scheme is funded by the Department for Social Development, to make your home warmer, healthier and more energy efficient.

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