HSE is to outsource future respite care
THERE are a number of concerns around the outsourcing of respite services and the families who use Solas respite centre articulated by some of those at a meeting last Tuesday in the Glasshouse Hotel.
Foremost in their minds is the very real possibility that if outsourced to private contractors respite could be limited to home care packages only. And as each of these families know that just won’t work.
Angela Edwards from Ballisodare is acutely aware of why respite has to be outside of the family home.
She explains: “I have a 15- yearold daughter Jennifer who is intellectually disabled and needs 24 hour care. She is non- verbal, not fully toilet trained and needs help to do most things. She is disruptive in the house, takes things out of the wardrobe constantly and throws them out the window. She will go into the rooms of her siblings and break their toys. She not sleep at night and has no awareness of danger.
“Her behaviour issues include slamming doors constantly if she has a tan She will slam the door over and over until we eventually calm her down. Sh toilet accidents in the house which we have to clean up. We cannot do t as a family. One of us has to stay in the house with Jennifer all of the tim have not had a holiday in years. The last time myself and my husband were out together was in 2008 because we do not have anyone to care fo as they are not able to.”
Angela says that even though of late the respite was not frequent, it onc a great service. “It was a relief to get it knowing that Jennifer was secur somewhere safe. I am gutted that it is to close. I don’t know what we are to do. Respite when we got it allowed us to have a rest, even to just get sleep for a night. It is not fair on the rest of the family. Respite in the home work for us. That is not respite and it’s not good enough.”