Elderly at Risk in Cold Snap Due to 'Fuel Poverty'

By Dr. Muiris Houston, Irish Times

February 3, 2009

Ireland

As the country faces a prolonged cold spell, a specialist in geriatric medicine has warned of the health dangers of increasing “fuel poverty” among older people whose pensions have been hit by the economic recession. Meanwhile, rates of influenza infection have dropped sharply in the last week, signalling the beginning of the end of this winter’s flu outbreak.

Prof Des O’Neill, consultant geriatrician at the Adelaide and Meath Hospital, Tallaght, warned of a “perfect storm” leading to rising fuel poverty – with poor heating causing health problems in older people.

“Older people’s pension arrangements have changed considerably and they are being asked to pay more for healthcare due to a withdrawal of the automatic entitlement to a medical card and a reduction in tax relief on health expenses,” he said. “As a result, there is a danger of further poverty now – a perfect storm – with a greater number of people affected by fuel poverty.”

Fuel poverty occurs when a household needs to spend more than 10 per cent of their income on energy in order to maintain an acceptable level of heat throughout their home.

O’Neill said there was a proven medical link between higher rates of death and morbidity from cardiovascular disease and a sharp drop in environmental temperature.

Other conditions linked to a rise in cold weather–related hospitalisations include hypothermia, respiratory problems and pneumonia.

Research has shown that people aged over 65 are seven times more likely to be hospitalised as a result of frigid temperatures compared with those aged 18 to 44.

Hospitalisations in poorer communities due to cold weather are 2.5 times more common than in the wealthiest neighbourhoods.

In a recent report, the Institute of Public Health (IPH) warned of an all-Ireland increase in fuel poverty. IPH senior policy officer Dr Helen McAvoy said there was concern that a recent trend of rapidly-rising fuel poverty in the Republic and Northern Ireland may threaten a reduction in excess winter deaths.

There were 1,950 excess winter deaths recorded on the island in 2005.

Excess winter deaths are the number of deaths occurring in the winter months (December to March) compared to the rest of the year.

Yesterday, a spokesman for Age Action Ireland advised older people to maintain a temperature of about 21 degrees Celsius in the room they are living in and 18 degrees Celsius in other rooms.

“If you are struggling to afford to heat your home, concentrate on heating your bedroom and the other rooms that you spend the most time in,” Eamon Timmins advised.

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