Deputy Mac Lochlainn
THERE is considerable anger today over a report that an 84-year-old Termon man has had his benefits slashed – because his brother returned home from America to help him.
James Friel of Gortnalaragh has lost €111 a month – his living alone and fuel allowances including inoperable gallstones and dementia. He is unable to get out of bed on his own and depends on full time support for his survival.
The reason that James has lost his allowances is because his brother, Colm returned from the USA to become his unofficial full-time carer. With the assistance of three half hour visits from home helps, James is able to live out is life in the relative calm of his native Termon.
However the shocking irony of this is that because Colm has returned to look after his sick brother, James has lost his living alone allowance of €7.70 a week plus his €20 winter fuel payments.
And heaping agony on the family is the decision to deny Colm the Carers Allowance
His plight is now being raised with the Minister for Health by Sinn Fein’s Deputy Padraig MacLochlain.
Colm says that he’s dismayed at being denied the Carers Allowance since without his presence in the family home his brother would have been forced to live in a nursing home and the trauma would have added to his problems.
Colm tells today’s Tirconaill Tribune newspaper: “I returned home from America where I spent my working life. I have a US pension and I’ve never drawn a shilling in Ireland in all my life.
“At 72 years of age my full time role is now caring for my brother James who is incapacities, suffering from a number of ailments. Without my presence in the house he would have to be transferred to a nursing home. James is unable to care for himself and he is completely dependent on 24 hour support in the family home.
“I applied for the carers allowance through our GP, Dr McDaid and we were dismayed to have our application rejected without any reason provided other than my pension is too high. I intend to fight this battle on principle but my priority is caring for my brother. I’m unhappy with the political response from Fine Gael but despite their rejection, I still believe that we have suffered a severe injustice at the hands of a non-caring Government,” said Mr. Friel.
TD Padraig MacLochlainn said: “I intend to pursue the unfair treatment meted out to the Friel family. The Irish health and social care system is failing to adequately support people with dementia and their carers where they need it most, in their own homes and communities.
“Dementia is one of the most significant health and social care challenges facing this country with close to 50,000 people currently living with the condition. If this trend continues, the number of people with dementia will treble in a generation.”
