Its claimed the cornerstone of patient and personal care is slowly but surely eroding in Clare.
It comes as new data has revealed the number of people with disabilities entering residential care has soared in the last four years.
Residential care is defined as the period when patients are generally ready to leave hospital but are not quite well enough to manage at home alone.
However there are growing fears in this county that the lack of available home carers will soon see these facilities reach capacity.
It comes as new figures show that the number of people waiting to enter a residential care home here has jumped by 67% in the last four years, rising from 776 people in 2019 to 1,296 at the end of last month.
A Shannon family carer believes that the role has become completely unsustainable amid the cost of living crisis.
Although the government announced a €1,850 Carers Support Grant in June, the additional payment comes on top of a weekly allowance that allocates just €16 more week to participants than unemployment benefit.
Marion Costello, who provides full time support for her mother living with Alzheimer’s says the state need to urgently recognise the contribution family carers make to the health service before its too late.
The Clare Leader Forum, meanwhile claims it is a damming indictment of this country that a growing number of young people are now residing in nursing homes.
Figures obtained by the Disabilities Federation Of Ireland found that at in March alone, 1,200 people under the age of 65 were living in care facilities.
Ennis Clare Leader Forum Member Dermot Hayes says congregates settings are not the right place for those well capable of living independent lives.
You can listen to the interview below.
