COSTINGS being used to justify the closure of the Glenside residential home in Douglas were queried in the House of Keys.
The Department of Social Care says residential care is a high-cost model that is no longer affordable in the face of both financial constraints and growing numbers of older people.
It claims the average cost of keeping somebody in residential care is £39,000 a year, compared with £6,700 for homecare.
But in the Keys, Zac Hall (Lib Van, Onchan) queried the figures with the Minister Chris Robertshaw.
He said: ‘The department certainly appears to be trying to promote the move from residential care to community-based care as a cost saving, but would he not agree with me that comparing £39,000 a year for residential care with £6,000 for home care is wholly distorted and inappropriate?
‘Would he further not agree with me that £6,000 for home care will only cover about one or two hours a day, if that, which is probably only enough for minor cases, so what is the realistic figure for home care, which includes weekends, holidays and night cover?’
But the Minister said he stood by the figures.
He said: ‘These are aggregate figures representing an average across a variety of different services provided to a variety of individuals with a variety of different needs, and it is certainly, without hesitation and doubt, absolutely clear that residential care costs – and we should know what they are because we run the homes – are in the figure that we identified and I am confident that figures on the home care side are also accurate.’
Mr Robertshaw said that the prime motivation here was what was best for the older residents, rather than any cost-saving measures.
He said the detailed plans for Glenside’s phased closure by 2014 and the relocation of its residents was ‘progressing well’.
Detailed assessments of the specific needs of the residents affected were due to begin over the next couple of weeks, he said.
‘All efforts will be made to take their wishes into account,’ he told MHKs.
He added that most – 61 out of 64 – personal staff interviews had also been completed and a joint staff newsletter had been produced.