It’s ridiculous that a home help worker visiting an elderly man is prohibited from lighting a fire or bringing in a few sods of turf for him.
The absurdity of the constraints surrounding the Home Help service was raised in the Dail yesterday by Sinn Fein Sligo/Leitrim deputy Martin Kenny.
The deputy began by highlighting the difficulties for many in securing a Home Help carer despite qualifying for the service, and then the restricted times available for such care.
In addition he cited a situation that he is aware of, where a 90 year old man is well cared for by his Home Help carer in terms of personal care, but the elderly man also needs to be warm, however, the carer’s contract of employment prevents her from carrying out the important task of lighting a fire for him.
The deputy called for an immediate change to the present system as he says the services that Home Help Carers provide is vital for so many elderly people, allowing them to live in their homes, rather than in nursing homes. The service he argues is very cost efficient to the state.
Deputy Kenny has been speaking to Midwest News Editor Teresa O’Malley about his concerns over the present constraints on what a Home Help Carer can do…
