Madam, - I brought my elderly mother back to her home in the West of Ireland, where she lives on her own. The date was August 4th, and as she had been away for two weeks quite an amount of post awaited her.
Included was a notice from the Western Health Board verifying her PPSN number. It stated that failure to complete and return this form (dated August 1st) by August 19th would result in the loss of her medical card. So, had she stayed away longer, or been hospitalised, she would have arrived back to further stress - the loss of her medical card.
We listen to pious platitudes from various politicians about caring for our elderly in the community. Does a notice like this bear out these words? - Yours, etc.,
MOIRA COFFEY, Coolcotts, Wexford.