BERNADETTE’S TIRELESS CAMPAIGN FOR SPEECH THERAPIST
AN ADULT SPEECH AND LANGUAGE THERAPIST WILL BE RECRUITED FOR NORTH WICKLOW, FOLLOWING CAMPAIGN BY BERNADETTE, WRITES MARY FOGARTY
AN ADULT speech and language therapist is being recruited for north Wicklow, after years without one in the area, and following a threeyear battle by local woman Bernadette McGrath.
Deputy Steven Matthews received a letter from the HSE last week confirming that recruitment process is under way.
‘ This is an issue that I have been pushing for since the start of the summer after meeting with the wife of a man who had suffered an acquired brain injury and required speech and language therapy,’ said Deputy Matthews.
‘She outlined in detail the lack of services for those broadly in Wicklow but highlighted north Wicklow in particular due to the complete lack of public services,’ he said. ‘ This lady deserves enormous credit for the tireless work she has done on this issue, lobbying the HSE, local TDs and various ministers to advocate for the need of this service in north Wicklow. I’ve had the opportunity to speak with her regularly since our first meeting and her tenacity and determination is incredible despite the hardships that she and her husband have faced.’
That woman is Bernadette McGrath from Parnell Road in Bray. Her husband Peter suffered a brain injury due to cardiac arrest over three years ago. He was in hospital for several months before she brought him home.
‘It’s not until a family suffers the consequences of what a brain injury can do to a person, and you have no access to services, that you realise the dire situation you face,’ said Bernadette. She welcomed the news that a speech and language therapist is being recruited, but said it should not have taken three years.
‘For the person and the family you have to fight for access to rehabilitation,’ she said.
‘Peter was discharged into my care in January 2018. He was on a waiting list for the National Rehabilitation Hospital.’ She said that their choice was to have him come home, or leave him waiting in hospital for months.
Home to Bray he came, and Bernadette was told to contact her GP and take it from there. ‘I soon realised there were no services in North Wicklow,’ said Bernadette. ‘ The family is left to try and resource services for the person.’ She said that family members were his rehabilitation. ‘We had to try to help him with speech, re-adjust to living at home, and even teach him how to make a cup of tea,’ she said.
Peter is a man of huge intellect, who was a master carpenter and has two degrees. ‘He had to get used to doing everyday things again,’ said his wife.
‘He couldn’t remember our marriage. He couldn’t remember the boys being born, or his parents dying. I had to break that news to him again.’
She had heard that the first two years in a person’s recovery is of the utmost importance, that being when the brain is most open to rehabilitation. ‘God, it was just awful,’ she said. ‘We were left with no services.’
Some months later Peter was allocated two hours per week at the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Dun Laoghaire. Bernadette feels that this was insufficient for his needs to help him achieve as beneficial a recovery as possible.
She said that they were desperate for help while waiting. ‘He can’t go on like this,’ she thought at the time.
‘I got on to the HSE and there was nothing here. ‘ There was no adult speech and language therapy, and a nine month waiting list for an occupational therapist,’ said Bernadette. ‘ There was one visit and they arranged a hand rail at the front door and the shower, I didn’t hear from them since.’
Peter went to the NRH for two hours weekly for 15 months. Bernadette said that he needs follow-up services as his recovery continues.
‘A chance for a meaningful recovery is a right, not a request,’ she said. ‘ This is happening to thousands of people throughout the country.’
She said that 19,000 people a year suffer brain injury in Ireland. ‘In March 2018 I said to myself I have to do something about this.’ She contacted then Minister for Health Simon Harris and subsequently Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly, as well as Wicklow’s TDs.
‘At one stage there were revolving letters from the HSE all saying the same thing,’ she said.
Being in Bray, close to the town, has been good for Peter’s recovery, Bernadette said, with access to the town, and excellent neighbours. She fears that Covid-19 restrictions will mean a step back in that respect. ‘He is reading again and enjoys it,’ she said. ‘He’s doing things he previously couldn’t. He had to learn how to use a mobile phone again, and the controls for the television.’
While his speech has improved, she said that they will require the local speech and language therapy services when they are available.
Bernadette said that Acquired Brain Injury Ireland in Dun Laoghaire have been a huge support during the past years.
‘ They are looking for funding for a base in Wicklow,’ she said. They continue to provide classes online during the pandemic.
‘He is making the best recovery that he can
IT’S NOT UNTIL A FAMILY SUFFERS WHAT A BRAIN INJURY CAN DO TO A PERSON, AND YOU HAVE NO ACCESS TO SERVICES, THAT YOU REALISE THE DIRE SITUATION YOU FACE
but Covid hasn’t helped,’ said Bernadette. ‘ The reason I did all this is to make sure people are able to access services when they suffer a stroke or brain injury, or need services for any other reason. To make sure they have a decent, dignified and timely recovery. ‘Personally I would have preferred not to have to fight. It takes up a lot of energy, when you use a lot of energy caring for someone. In a so-called first world country you shouldn’t have to fight to access services. They were done away with when the country was nearly bankrupt but that’s 10 or 12 years ago.’
She hopes that the service will be more than assessment and include therapy. ‘Even in a time of Covid assessment and therapy can still be done through Zoom as they’re doing it in other organisations,’ said Bernadette.