The Commissioner for Older People for Northern Ireland described Alison’s experience as “deeply concerning and totally unacceptable”.
“No older person should find themselves effectively having to end their day in the middle of the afternoon because the care package they require cannot be fully delivered,” Siobhan Casey said.
She said her office had seen a significant increase in calls from older people and families struggling to access domiciliary care, including delays to hospital discharge, reduced care provision and long waits for support.
She said concerns included delays in hospital discharge because care packages were unavailable, long waits for support at home, reduced care provision and difficulties accessing services in rural areas.
“Older people need more than apologies. They need action,” she said.
She called on the Department of Health, the Executive and Health and Social Care Trusts to work urgently together to address staffing shortages and ensure older people receive the care they need to live safely and independently in their own homes.
In a statement, the Department of Health said: “Through the work of the Social Care Collaborative Reform Board, we have a specific focus on homecare within Northern Ireland.
“This work includes reviewing demand, capacity, commissioning and the model of homecare required to make homecare fit for now and into the future.”