Elderly woman left without phone line and panic button

AN elderly Sligo woman who was left without a phone line, house alarm and panic button throughout the Christmas period has voiced her despair at the neglect of what she sees as the ‘forgotten elderly people of rural Ireland’.

In a letter to The Sligo Champion, Bridget Leonard said on December 23rd last her phone went dead and her house alarm was cut off due to strong winds, thus rendering her panic button useless until January 6 th this year.

Mrs Leonard said she was overcome with anxiety at the cut off considering her panic alarm helped save her life recently.

The elderly woman describes attempting to contact the phone company to report the problem as being ‘an ordeal in itself ’.

“Lots of people struggle with modern technology. We didn’t grow up with it and never were educated in it.” She cited issues with the over reliance on technology. “Everything has moved online,” she said, adding that it was mostly answering machines.

Mrs Leonard said it is often hard for elderly people who may have arthritis to input commands before they are cut off.

“They are happy to take elderly people’s money, but don’t provide them with a suitable customer service.”

The elderly woman had to resort to asking a friend to report her phone issues and even contacted gardaí in Sligo.

“They were very kind and helpful and said I could contact them whenever needed. But this should not be their responsibility.”

Having previously sustained a fall at her home, Mrs Leonard said the only reason she was able to recover fully was through the care she received from her family.

“The health services didn’t offer me anywhere for rehabilitation.”

She asked, “Is Simon Harris aware of the vulnerabilities and ill health of elderly people in rural areas? Or does he even care?”

Adding, “Our health services are in disarray and there is nowhere to turn to when we are vulnerable or in need.”

Counting herself lucky that she has friends and family to check on her, Mrs Leonard empathised with elderly people possibly in the early stages of dementia who do not have anyone to check on them.

“What minister is responsible for the welfare of elderly people in this country,” she asked.

She said elderly people are ‘in despair’ and said there should be a dedicated helpline service for the most vulnerable and isolated to contact.

Mrs Leonard sees this a ‘critical step’ towards redressing the neglect of the ‘forgotten people of rural Ireland’.