Retirement complex proposal by local election candidate

A DESIGNATED sheltered home complex for the elderly is a proposal that Fianna Fáil local election candidate Shane McGuinness is to pursue for his local community of Blackrock and Haggardstown.

Such a scheme has a lot of merit, he says. It would allow local elderly folk to stay where they are content and happy among neighbours and friends and close to family and in homes that they can keep much easier.

In many instances, they would be glad to downsize, especially if they are on their own or couples whose families have moved on in life. Moving into a retirement village would offer them the support of residing beside others but in separate units of their own in a secure environment which are reasonably priced, in probably a gated community with facilities.

This would have the dual benefit of freeing up larger houses for bigger and likely younger families in the area, who are in need of homes which are quite hard to come by, points out Mr McGuinness.

“I want to push the idea, and will ask Louth County Council to zone certain lands

for a proper residential area for the elderly. An awful lot of people are very interested. A lot don’t wish to go into residential homes.’”

Mr McGuinness, who is seeking a seat on Louth County Council in the Dundalk South district in the forthcoming elections, understands there would be a willingness among some land owners who possess a portion of the limited land bank in the Blackrock area to consider selling a site specifically for a retirement complex.

“It is something I’m definitely going to raise with the Minister for Housing and with the county Council with the next Development Plan up for review.”

He elaborated: “I think there should be such a complex in Blackrock where people can live in their own area where they were brought up or have lived happily for a long time among neighbours and friends and where they want to stay. The area is crying out for it.”

Mr McGuinness feels it’s immaterial whether the scheme is privately or publicly built, once the housing is affordable and properly maintained.

He envisages a complex comprising two bedroom bungalows, costing something in the order of €170,000 to €180,000. The centre would have the like of a hairdressers and a shop, and be close to the village, where the residents could go to shop and visit friends and family.

Mr McGuinness believes it is a project very suitable to Blackrock, and contains a potential big saving for Government of avoiding the necessity of elderly going into OPDs and the state footing the bill.