The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
‘BARBARIC’ TREATMENT OF FAMILIES OF SPECIAL NEEDS ADULTS
A KERRY mother who was forced to leave her hospital bed within days of coming off life support to care for her adult son with special needs has described the level of respite care for adults with special needs in the county as ‘barbaric’.
Castleisland mother-of-three Nicola Lawless was advised to recuperate in hospital for up to three months after nearly dying from complications arising from swine flu and pneumonia just two months ago.
But she was forced to return home after just nine days in recovery to help full-time worker husband Gareth care for their 19-year-old son Ben.
Ben’s special needs require 24/7 care. While the family enjoyed respite care when he was a minor, all that changed when he reached adulthood.
Now, it has emerged that just 12 beds exist in the county to provide respite care for adults with special needs.
The HSE informed the Kerryman last week that HIQA standards and funding concerns are largely to blame for the level of residential respite care for adults in the county now.
“It’s simply not good enough that people with disabilities and the people who care for them are being treated in this way. It makes no sense from a community health or economic perspective with family members themselves becoming sick as a result of the constant pressure. It’s barbaric,” Ms Lawless told The Kerryman this week.
On her estimate, the HSE figure represents just one respite bed per 1,000 adults with disabilities in the entire county.
“I don’t blame HIQA for it either. HIQA is right to close beds, in instances for example where different people are using the same bed on different nights of the week. Where is the dignity in that?” Ms Lawless asked.
“And it’s not just us, I’ve heard from families all over Ireland in even worse situations. That’s saying something considered I very nearly died.” Ms Lawless is now meeting with HSE and service provider personnel on the issue next week.