An Irish Independent investigation has found that people looking for home help for loved ones have been told that waiting lists are so long, even those nearing death are losing out.

Elderly people face a home help lottery as services across the country vary wildly, with sharp differences in the number of help hours available.

Meanwhile, hospitals are also finding it difficult to get access to services for their patients.

And the problems are likely to grow as the Health Service Executive (HSE) finalises its plans to deal with a massive €480m funding shortfall.

Stricter spending on community services such as home help is one of the most likely areas to be hit.

In one instance, a request was submitted in Cavan for assistance for an 81-year-old woman who has to move with the aid of a zimmer frame. She has fallen regularly and has a husband who is in and out of hospital.

The response to the request was that there was a “likelihood” that a meal would be provided only “if someone was showing signs of weight loss”.

A request for services for a pensioner of the same description living in north Dublin was told that even some terminally ill people were not getting services they asked for.

There is a six-month waiting list for people in Dublin north west, and another 20 people waiting in the Stillorgan and Dun Laoghaire area.

Last week, there was a massive waiting list of 47 people in the Killester/Raheny area alone, with the situation mirrored across the country.

Waiting

However, in other areas, there was no waiting list and elderly people could avail of home help immediately.

Home help is provided to those who might otherwise have to stay in long-term residential care.

It is planned to meet the needs of older people who have significant medical, nursing or therapy problems.

It is usually given to those who have recently been discharged from hospital or who may have to be admitted if their needs are not met.

But the Irish Independent understands that some hospitals have not been able to find appropriate help for patients leaving their care.

Support groups say that any cuts could lead to even longer waiting lists, and could make a “dire” situation even worse.

“We had a call this week from a woman getting three hours care a week and she is now only getting one hour a week,” Age Action’s Gerry Scully said.

“That can’t meet the needs of an older person. An hour a week isn’t really a service.

Social workers say that programmes had been “developing slowly but nicely” over the last year but rolling cutbacks have had a severe impact.