Only a few schemes in Ireland have reached out to the masses and proved its worth. Fair Deal Scheme is one of them. Administered by the Health Service Executive (HSE) in Ireland, it has been truly exceptional in its mission of providing financial support to the elderly, undergoing long term nursing home care in public, private and voluntary nursing homes. As a matter of fact, it states that almost every resident of the State can apply for it if the individual is in dire need of long-term nursing home care. But the question, which pops up in mind is - how much of it is true? After all, by ‘ordinarily resident’, it should count even those who are suffering from a mental condition. The blog here discloses the inclusivity of the scheme.
Understanding the Nursing Home Support Scheme and applying for it isn’t easy. One has to have a grip over it and minutely go through the NHSS Information Booklet to comprehend the terms and conditions accompanying the benefits. Applying for it is equally confusing and stressful. An applicant has to go through three stages, namely, the Care Needs Assessment, Financial Assessment and Ancillary State Support to finally reap the benefits in the form of long-term nursing home care. Such a lengthy procedure often causes stress in applicants, leave alone those suffering from serious physical and mental illness.
In response to it, NHSS allows the applicant to take the aid of a ‘specified person’ and act on his behalf. Wondering who can be that person? Let’s look at it.
The person acting on the applicant’s behalf can be any of the following:
- A Committee if the applicant is a ward of court.
- Someone, whom the power of attorney appoints.
- A person entitled ‘Care Representative’, who has been appointed by the court under the NHSS Act 2009.
- The applicant’s better half.
- Any of the applicant’s relatives on condition that the person is at least 18 years and over.
- Any of your friend on the condition that the person has been appointed by the court.
- A representative legally appointed for the purpose.
- Any of those social workers, medical practitioners or nurses.
Of them all, HSE prioritises the first three as the ‘Specified Person’ acting on a disabled applicant’s behalf. However, if any of them among ward of Court, Care Representative or a specially appointed person recommend someone in writing from the rest of the list for an elderly, then HSE shall deem it fit.
Final Thoughts:
Such is the flexibility practised at HSE in Fair Deal Scheme! Also, the inclusivity of people suffering from mental incapacity into the beneficiary list makes it an all-encompassing one. And with advisory bodies like Fair Deal Advice, helping out people planning to avail the Nursing Home Support Scheme for someone elderly in their family, long term nursing home care is neither stressful nor a financial burden today.
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