Madam, – We are reminded daily that social welfare cuts are inevitable in the budget next month. This, despite the Government’s pledge at the beginning of the recession to protect the most vulnerable in society.
Might I take this opportunity to ask the Minister for Finance to bear in mind the plight of the thousands of carers in this country who care for elderly parents, spouses, disabled adult children and elderly relatives and who are forced to survive on the meagre carer’s allowance as payment for the incredible work that they do.
In 2001, at the age of 33, I became a full-time carer for my mother who had suffered a critical illness, a stroke and was diagnosed with dementia. I have no siblings and my father is dead. I sacrificed everything that I had in my life to take on this role, by choice. As my mother’s dementia progressed, she required 24-hour supervision, 365 days of the year. The only assistance that I got was four hours’ help on alternate Wednesdays from the Alzheimer’s Association of Ireland, which was the only time that I could leave the house. As my mother had behavioural problems, she was not suitable for day centres, so I had no other respite. I was lucky if I went to bed two or three nights out of seven, and then it was only for a couple of hours at the most, as my mother was very active during the nights and required my supervision.
I applied for the infamous Home Care Package, as I wanted to keep my mother at home, but I desperately needed help. After waiting for months to be assessed and means-tested, I was only offered enough money to purchase an additional five hours of help per week. And all this at a time when the country was drowning in its own wealth. Finally, my health broke down from sheer stress and exhaustion.
Carers tolerate the most horrific conditions because they love those for whom they care. They save the HSE millions each year by keeping their loved ones out of the acute and long-stay hospital systems. Yet they are ignored to all intents and purposes by the HSE and left to get on with it.
If the paltry Carer’s Allowance is cut in the 2009 budget, then it would be the ultimate insult to devoted and dedicated carers who work like slaves to care for their loved ones at home.
I call on the Minister for Health, the Minister for Finance and the Minister for Social and Family Affairs to protect the carers before the HSE is forced, as in my case, to care for both the elderly patient and the carer when the carer’s health finally breaks down. – Yours, etc,