Ireland needs to prepare now for ageing population - NHI

Ireland's healthcare system faces an impending crisis due to a rapidly ageing population, warns Nursing Homes Ireland (NHI). Taoiseach Micheál Martin must urgently engage in discussions to address the looming challenge, the representative body says. By 2045, the number of people aged 85 and over will surge by 162%, while more than one million Irish citizens will surpass the age of 65 by the end of the decade, according to Department of Health projections.

Tadhg Daly, CEO of NHI, expressed alarm at the annual conference, stating that the country is "sleepwalking" into one of the most significant social and healthcare crises in its history. Despite this looming crisis, Ireland remains unprepared, with nursing homes currently operating at 95% occupancy and demand for long-term care expected to skyrocket over the next two decades.

Nursing homes are already at maximum capacity, and the sector has witnessed a gradual erosion of capacity in recent years, severely limiting bed availability and care options for older individuals. According to the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), Ireland requires an additional 1,000 nursing home beds annually until 2040.

The situation is already dire, with older people being forced to relocate to nursing homes due to a lack of available beds. This has a profound impact on residents and their families. Failing to take a comprehensive, collaborative approach to tackling this demographic shift would constitute a national policy failure, warns Daly.

The Summer Economic Statement published by the Government in July projects that age-related expenses in Ireland, encompassing long-term care, pensions, and healthcare costs, will soar to €97 billion by 2065, a 62% increase compared to 2026.