News Now Sage report reveals family carers ‘going above and beyond the call of duty’ The current Carer’s Allowance system urgently needs ‘new oversight’ because a ‘small minority of recipients’ are ‘blatantly abusing’ it, Sage Advocacy has warned. The report highlights that many dedicated family carers, who receive Carer’s Allowance payments, not only provide excellent care but ‘go above and beyond the call of duty’. However the Providing Care to Vulnerable Adults Living at Home: Need for More Oversight of Carer’s Allowance System report also details in depth how the current system is susceptible to abuse. The Carer’s Allowance system costs the tax payer in the region of €1.2 billion annually. Research suggests there are an estimated 375,000 carers in the country - but only one in five receive a Carer’s Allowance payment. Michael Cahillane, Sage Advocacy’s regional co-ordinator for Kerry & Cork West who compiled the report, believes the current lack of oversight can lead to the ‘financial abuse and maltreatment’ of people who have been assessed as needing full-time care.
Almost half of Ireland’s top attractions are ‘not completely wheelchair accessible’
Sage Advocacy is recommending that a number of new initiatives be introduced to address the current lack of oversight of the Carer’s Allowance system. These include: • Mandatory standardised regulation should be established. • A monitoring process should be put in place from the beginning of the granting of Carer’s Allowance with the prior knowledge of both the care provider and the care recipient. • Training and education should be provided to Carer’s Allowance recipients at the outset and on a regular basis. • A proper monitoring and reporting structure should be in place ensuring that a link person is available to the vulnerable persons (care recipients) as required. • Garda vetting of Carer’s Allowance recipients should be mandatory. • A transparent complaints process should be available to both care recipients and care providers. • Training and education should be provided to Carer’s Allowance recipients at the outset and on a regular basis. For further information please contact: T + 353 (0)1 536 7330 M+ 353 (0)87 173 8762
LETTER
How do I get a travel insurance refund?
A report has reviewed the accessibility of over 40 of Ireland’s most visited attractions, and has concluded that 40 per cent of them are not completely wheelchair accessible. The list of attractions comes from Fáilte Ireland’s list of most visitedattractions (both free and paid) in 2017, and sees the likes of the Cliffs of Moher, Dublin Zooand the Book of Kells in its ranks. Many of these tourist attractions are found in places with uneven ground and historical steps, such as Glendalough site and Blarney Castle, making them incompatible with modernisation, but many others have simply not modernised their facilities to meet the needs of all visitors.
I wonder if you could include the following in the next edition of Senior Times as I feel that other pensioners like myself are in a similar position. In January this year, I booked a short break with xxxxx travelling to the South of France in October. I paid the deposit of 200 Euros plus 79 Euros travel insurance they recommend. Because of the pandemic, my GP advised me in April or May not to go so I duly cancelled the holiday. I was well within the time frame to do so. xxxx told me that they do not give refunds so I accepted a voucher for the 200 Euros paid. They advised me to contact my insurance company for a refund of the 79 Euros.
Others still only have partial accessibility, such as the National Museum of Ireland Archaeology, Kildare St, which allows guests with wheelchairs and scooters to visit only one ofits floors. The report was compiled by Olympic Lifts.
When I contacted my insurance company they had no record of me anywhere on their system (which was worrying). After repeated efforts to get the details of the insurance policy xxxx they finally admitted that I was covered
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under a group policy and gave me the details. On returning to my insurance company they said that they do not give refunds but that they would give me a voucher for 79 Euros. However xxxx then informed me that they do not accept these vouchers from my insurance company so what do I do? As I paid the 79 Euros to xxxx with my deposit, I feel that they must be responsible for what happens afterwards. Does anyone have any advice? Name and address given
