Mother: I attempted suicide over respite snubs for autistic son
A MOTHER of four tried to take her own life because of a lack of support while caring for her autistic son, she revealed yesterday.
The woman, who gave her name as Mary, went on RTÉ’s Liveline radio show yesterday to make a plea for respite care – the system by which family members can take a break from caring.
Recent figures released to Fianna Fáil showed an extensive waiting list for respite care across the country.
‘He has destroyed more or less my whole house,’ the woman said of her son. ‘He has eaten the cupboards, he has pulled cupboard presses off, he has escaped out window.
‘He has escaped out of my house at 6.30 in the morning and [had to] be brought back by gardaí,’ added Mary, who said he has also set fire to her microwave.
‘It has reached breaking point,’ she said. ‘My own mental health has deteriorated significantly since Christmas due to difficulties I have had with accessing respite and support. It is constantly falling through and I don’t know why that it is. I made an attempt at [taking my] own life due to just it reaching breaking point.’
Her son is going on eight years old and has severe autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and an intellectual disability.
Mary said she has to sleep with one eye open because taking care of him is a 24-hour job. ‘I feel that there has been a lack of support, I get no support and he is a 24-hour job,’ she said.
‘Every day is different, you don’t know what you are getting. I am getting, at the moment, nothing, I am on my own with my four children. I have no support.’
Mary said that she had received external assistance, but these helpers all pulled out because they were unable to manage her son.
Fianna Fáil revealed last month that there are huge gaps in the provision of respite care across the country – with no additional funding awarded to border regions.
While 169 residential, 162 home support and 33 in-home respite places were added nationally in the first nine months of 2018, none has been in the HSE regions of Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim, West Cavan, Cavan and Monaghan.
In response, the HSE said it ‘is very much aware of the importance of respite service provision for the families of both children and adults with disabilities, including the impact the absence of respite service provision can have on other services’.
On carer needs being unmet, it said: ‘The provision of residential respite services has come under increased pressure in the past couple of years.’ It said there are several factors impacting on the increased demand for respite, including population rises.
‘On my own with four children’