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FAMILIES OF RESIDENTS in Áras Attracta, a residential respite and day service for adults with intellectual disabilities in Co Mayo, are concerned about plans to potentially move their loved ones from the home.
Earlier this year the HSE said it was “accelerating … plans to move from an institutional model of care to a community-based, person-centred model of service, enabling and supporting meaningful lives as chosen by users, within the resources available”.
The future of Áras Attracta in Swinford is currently under review, with speculation it is to be closed down in the coming years.
The facility came into the spotlight in December 2014, when RTÉ aired hidden camera footage of vulnerable people at the centre being force-fed and physically abused.
The HSE has previously denied the facility is closing down, but residents are being assessed to see who may be better off living in the community.
Tom Ward’s brother Jim has lived in the facility for about 26 years. He is profoundly physically and intellectually disabled, and needs constant care.
“He can’t speak or communicate. As far as we know he doesn’t understand or has no way of indicating if he does,” Tom said.
He and his mother Brid fought a public campaign in the late ’80s and early ’90s to secure residential care for Jim, who is now 43 years old.
Tom told TheJournal.ie that while living in the community might benefit some residents, it is simply not an option for his brother.
“Some people in Áras might do very well in the community, some residents are much more capable.
“No matter how fantastic they paint community living, there’s no prospect of my brother’s condition improving. It will disimprove as he gets older.”
Tom said that Jim has access to everything he needs at Áras Attracta, including a hydrotherapy pool – something Tom described as his brother’s only pleasure in life.
We all know about the scandals that have been made public … Jim has never had anything but the utmost care and respect and love from the staff looking after him.
Tom said the main issues at the facility are cutbacks in terms of resources and staff. He believes it would be a waste to close the facility or scale it down as it was purpose-built and is of a higher standard than other similar centres.
“There are some institutions that need to close down, Áras Attracta is not one of them,” Tom said, adding that some other facilities are not fit for purpose and “little more than prison barracks”.
Tom and Brid have written to the HSE and Department of Health about their concerns, but Tom said they have not received direct answers to many of their questions about specific aspects of Jim’s future care.
In a letter sent from the HSE to Brid last month, and seen by TheJournal.ie, she was told that people “live better, more meaningful lives in their communities with the necessary supports to meet their needs”.
The letter told her that a “transition team … will work with individuals and their families to establish the best possible life for the person on their transition to the community”.
He said his mother (86) “thought her worries about Jim were over”, but is now very concerned about his future, adding: “She will do anything she believes will help Jim.
She is a very mild, timid woman. She will be affected and frightened, but if she takes a stance on Jim she won’t be budged.
HSE
A spokesperson for the HSE sent us the following statement: “We are in the process of a service improvement plan moving from an institutional model of care to a community based model of support.
“This will be an innovative model of integrated community support networks that promote dignity, respect, empowerment, choice and autonomy for people with intellectual disabilities.”
The statement added that the HSE and staff at Áras Attracta are “fully engaged” with the move away from congregated settings, and a family forum on the subject has been in place since September 2015.
The spokesperson noted that, at present, 90 people avail of full-time residential services at Áras Attracta, with an additional eight people availing of respite services and a further 15 individuals availing of day services.
They said that all people living at Áras Attracta “participated in an assessment process to determine their specific support needs”.
The assessments were shared with each individual and/or family member to outline the level of support required to live in the community.
“People living at Áras Attracta have historically lived in an institutional model of care and will need support and assistance to transition to a social care model of support. The goal is to empower people to have an enhanced quality of life and to establish a more positive living environment. People will exercise choice in where they live and with whom.”
The statement said that, in the first year of the transition process, 27 people are moving “to homes of their choosing in the local communities”.
It added that any families who are “fearful of community living” will be supported “as we progress with the implementation of the decongregation policy”.
We will of course respect each person’s wishes and preference and nobody will be forced into any arrangement that is not consistent with their wishes.
The spokesperson said that easy-to-read documents were developed ”to help keep residents better informed about changes happening at Áras Attracta”.
It noted that while these documents “generally contain an acknowledgement form to ensure that residents have received the information”, it is “not a consent form and is not intended to be such”.
Review of services
Michael Fitzmaurice, independent TD for Roscommon/Galway, weighed in on the subject of de-congregation of residential care centres recently, saying the policy “needs to be stopped until a detailed review of services available in the community is carried out”.
“At the moment a policy of de-congregation of residents who are in care centres and who have learning and intellectual disabilities is being followed.
“And while a move into the community may be beneficial for many of these patients, there are others, especially those who have more severe disabilities, who may not have access to the services that they are used to if they are moved out into the community,” Fitzmaurice said.
Minister of State with responsibility for disability Finian McGrath told us he is “fully supportive” of the move away from from congregated settings.
I want to assure any concerned family members that the process of moving a person with disabilities out of a congregated setting will be a supportive one. This transition will not happen overnight and each person’s wishes will be respected.
“The HSE has put in place comprehensive transition plans, which includes extensive engagement with the person themselves, their families, carers and advocates, as well as the service provider, to ensure successful and sustainable transitions into the community.
“These transition plans also identify what resources are required to support the person in moving out of a congregated setting – funding, equipment, community resources, circles of support, and staff skill sets.”
He added that he has not yet seen a letter sent to him from Brid, he is “happy to respond to any concerns expressed” by her.
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Negative equity, high taxes, stealth taxes, higher fuel costs, high interest rates, insurance rates etc.
It’s not just mortgages, all of our take home pay has decreased over the last 7 years, even with any pay rises you still lose out quick smart to the taxman.
Everything has gone up in price so how can people be expected to save when their income hasn’t increased. The money has to come from somewhere.
Andrew, Negative equity is a temporary thing, But the rest I agree 100% with you, Plus Car Tax is crazy and should be paid on fuel at the pumps.
Negative equity is a temporary thing?
Go on – explain.
Yes please do. Do you know something we don’t? Is my house in rural Ireland guaranteed to double in value which is what I need to get back to break even point
Hold on,nialls ,just hold on , it’s temporary ;)
Spot on Andrew
I’m a Taxi Driver in Dublin and the only people going out on a regular basis are the over 50′s and the 18 to 30 year olds.. The rest of us are been crippled with high mortgages/rents and the costs of childcare..
Thats the way its always been.
No it hasn’t.. Sure years ago big families could get by with just the Father working and the Mother could stay at home and bring up the kids.. They could still get out at the weekends for a few drinks and go away on a holiday in the summer.These days a couple both working with no children are struggling to get by.. The Government and the banks figured out a long time ago that if they cripple us with debt and taxes they have us screwed till the day we die.. Especially the poor unfortunates who took out 30 year 100% mortgages on apartments worth a fraction of the price nowadays..
What sort of lifestyle do you expect as a Taxi Driver?
Are you telling me that just because I drive a Taxi I’m not entitled to a few pints once a week and a holiday in the summer? Most people these days work their arses off and have nothing to show for it.. These days the only ones going on holidays and going out a few days a week are families on welfare payments.. Us workers pay rents/mortgages, childcare,medical bills and if our washing machine breaks we can’t get a cheque off the releiving officer for a new one.. What profession do you reckon entitles one to a few pints and a holiday?
“the poor unfortunates who took out 30 year 100% mortgages ”
Are you actually kidding me?
They have NO ONE to blame but themselves. As greedy as the bankers who sold them these lemons.
“My Problems are my Parents’ Fault:”
The under50s used to be identified as family couples, children, mortgages and the responsibilities attached were theirs.
A new thinking has emerged to blame the younger and older citizens .
How enlightened that approach is and constructive …blame the other age groups instead of taking personal responsibility for one’s own existence.
Alan what a stupid, ignorant comment to come out with!
Well said David.
Don’t heed the journal’s resident trolls.
I’d say there’s about 1 of them with multiple accounts.
Their hobbies are gravedancing on financially distressed families and living with mammy.
“Such a noble life they live”
When they look back over their lives on their death bed, such stories they will be able to tell to the nurse who changes their bed pan in their lonely cell.
Only today in the papers 1 article about Sean Dunne’s sons developing a site in New York while our citizens take the pain of bailing these guys out. They carry in like the bankers — nothing changes. Considering the bankers were in bed with the developers how come they have any money left to develope any site never mind New York ? Did Richie Boucher chase these guys to the ends of the earh like he is chasing ordinary people? I think now as there seems to be no end to their money. Other developers are exactly the same — buying up land and property now with money no issue. We bailed out these money junkies and the banks. When will they pay back?
It’s absolutely disgusting what happened in this Country.. I only had one of the “Maple Ten” in my Taxi a few weeks back. I picked him up from the Courts and this lad didn’t have a care in the world.. These lads were let away with murder because their all mates with the politicians and the Bankers.. I honestly can’t wait for the local FG/labour TD to knock my door in the next few months.. I’m just glad guns aren’t legal in this Country..
Never
and the obvious solution according to gubberment behaviour is to increase taxes!
Anyone who takes a fixed rate mortgage ends up paying more over the term than if they had stayed on a variable.
You pay for the privilege of certainty. Worryingly, interest rates for trackers are at an all time low – there will be serious issues when the ECB starts ratcheting up the rates.
That won’t be anytime soon
I took out a 5 yr fixed in 2011 @3.7%, variable rates were running at about 2.5-3%. Now, you would be lucky to get a variable rate mortgage under 4% and given your circumstances, 4.5% is more likely. Maybe I will lose out a little and maybe I won’t – but I am happy I chose the fixed interest option.
I got loads of pay cuts not to mention the increasing cost of living. This Govt promised us changes and what did they do : they rewarded tax evading companies while giving 2 fingers to struggling homeowners who want to pay their mortgage. Sh1t corrupt run by crooks
I am thinkink that negative equity is the greater pain for people who can’t repay their mortgages.
The hundred billion of negative equity in our criminal joke-banks that the Irish people were forced to pay or the 50% negative equity in people’s homes??
After I pay my 3 mortgages I have nothing left. It’s unfair.
How about those three houses?
Loss about them. How could all these people think they could borrow exorbitant sums of money and expect to live care free for the rest of their lives? The worst thing about my generation is that we will have to pay the price of your greed and excess, not that any of them care about anybody but themselves. Go cry to your precious nanny state and let then tell you everything will be ok.
Good man derp, living up to your name!
Thanks I guess
Derp , your anger would be much better directed at the property developers who have either walked away from all their debts or have had more than half their debt written off via Nama , a salary paid to them and kept in business . The majority of people in negative equity simply bought a family home , have had no debt write off and have had to endure ( variable ) interest rate hikes as well as paying the increased taxes same as you . Is it too much to expect a modern economy to managed properly and not driven over a cliff by sheer ineptitude of those in charge and those in the golden circle . Some empathy for the majority struggling through would be nice , it may be reciprocated some day when you’re in trouble
Derpy, your generation are screwed because of your sense of entitlement. Where’s my free college education? Where’s my cheap beer?
This is just reverting to the long term trend. The normal life cycle shows that we start saving young, move into debt when we set up independent living, carrying growing that debt as we create a family and that family moves through it’s maximum cost profile. Then the family leaves home, we have reduced our mortgage and other credit and our income max’s out so we start to save again, usually in our mid fifties. This has been the pattern at least for the last forty years with occasional blips for inflation and boom/bust.
Nice to see things getting back to normal.
Most definitely. I received an impending notice of eviction last week by registered post. I challenged it and advised them proactively of my best intentions to pay and how they will get nothing if I just hand back the keys as offered and how much more it will cost them if I pursue my lack of interest in becoming homeless in court. Appears they are attempting to compromise this week :)
This is what happens when our banks don’t pass on rate cuts from the ECB.
Only last week the ECB were commenting that inflation was under target.
Out next crisis will be a pensions on a scale we can’t comprehend as our college grads are quite rightly leaving Ireland in droves to gain meaningful employment. This will lead to a pensions finding gap.
They’ll be no crisis. The pension age will just increase till the worker pensioner ratios are right. Not so long ago you needed to be 70. I’d say in the 50 years it might be pushed to 75 as we live longer. Going into the future the civil service are also becoming less of a golden ticket but still very generous.
How on earth did we manage when interest rates were above 8% obviously then we saved for the deposit and only borrowed the minimum amount, while making do with secondhand furniture until we could afford to replace it.
8% was quite a bit more manageable when mortgages were £45k rather than €300k.
Chris, we took out 20 year mortgages. We saved 20% deposit. We borrowed 2.5 times our salary.
We weren’t duped by Bertie Ahern and Brian Lenihan.
Back then you could buy a house in Dublin for 30k in todays money, there no comparison. Also them savings on deposit would grow alot quicker @ 8% then compared to the 1% interest with DIRT and PSRI taking near 50% of any return today. You need two good wages to service a mortgage now, in the 70′s,80′s one average wage would do. Housing wise you had it easy.
Also everyone is forgetting that the b&stards did away with being able to claim tax relief on the interest portion of your mortage …. Screwed & screwed again
Back then (late 80′s), houses were 3 times average wage with interest rates @ 10%. Now houses are 5 times average wage with interest rates @ 4.3 %.
Pretty much the same.
This makes interesting reading:
http://www.moneyguideireland.com/history-of-mortgage-rates-in-ireland.html
Pretty irrelevant really looking back that far in the case of Ireland.
Different Currency.
Different Economic Structure.
1970´s/1980´s Inflation
This will continue until the Irish obsession with property ownership ends.
i guess when your a pensioner and not working you need somewhere to stay rather than having to pay rent on a minimal pension
Everyone blambing everyone else for their own stupidity, I no sympathy I just laugh at these clowns who think that they are somehow a victim cause their gambling went wrong.
Don’t get a mortgage then you numpties
I’m hoping to buy my home in the next few weeks. Is it even worth it?
Go for it. Landlords (are known) will no doubt cause hardship on tenants. Get your place and eventually you will own it or your kids will
What rates are on offer with this report.
Bad rates will justify low investments.
Try competitive rates offers.
Overdraft rates pushing 14%
Saving rates 1.5 % and Dirty.
Lend some money to friends @3% and pay no dirty tax
DIRT on savings which have been taxed at source is double taxation or extortion.
Who will get involved with such exploitation…
have your say