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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 & sight can lead to the ‘financial abuse and maltreatment’ of people who have been assessed as needing full-time care. 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
Cork West who compiled the report, believes the current lack of over 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
Almost half of Ireland’s top attractions are ‘not completely wheelchair accessible’
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. LETTER
How do I get a travel insurance refund?
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 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
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Hospice Coffee Morning To register to host a coffee morning on Thursday 24th September, or on a date that suits you, go to www.hospicecoffeemorning.ie or call returns for its 28th year 1890 998 995. Hosts are provided with a Coffee Morning Pack containing Bewley’s coffee, posters and invitations free of charge. Remember, every cup counts! Together for Hospice, which consists of fundraising representatives of Hospice and specialist palliative homecare services throughout the The public can support Hospice Coffee Morning Together with country have launched this year’s Hospice Coffee Morning together Bewley’s on Thursday 24th September 2020 by: with Bewley’s. The campaign is celebrating its 28th year and Hospices nationwide together with long-standing partner 1. Hosting a Virtual Coffee MorningBewley’s, are calling on the Irish public to host a coffee 2. Hosting a Socially distanced Coffee Morning with a morning on Thursday 24th September to help raise vital small group of funds for their local hospice. family or friends 3. If you can’t host or attend a coffee morning, This year due to COVID 19 restrictions, coffee morning please consider making a hosts are encouraged to host socially distanced or donation to your local hospice virtual coffee mornings to ensure the safety of attend- 4. Text COFFEE to 50300 to donate €4 ees and that government guidelines* are adhered to. It is (Text costs €4. Hospice Coffee Morning Together with hoped that this year’s events, whether held in small groups Bewley’s will receive a minimum of €3.60. Service Provider: in homes or virtually with colleagues and friends, will raise LIKECHARITY. Helpline: 076 6805278.)much needed funds for hospices across Ireland, to meet growing demands for the services. Journalist and broadcaster, Sharon Ní Bheoláin, officially launched this year’s campaign
78% of people are keen to travel this year despite the COVID-19 pandemic
Ferry company Stena Line has undertaken a huge survey of its customers to gauge attitudes towards this year’s potential travel destinations and preferred modes of travel. 84,309 responses were received from 11 countries across Northern Europe. Positive sentiment towards car and ferry travel in Europe and neighbouring countries is apparent after COVID-19. It is no surprise that the ability to breath fresh sea air, freedom to move around, and adhering to social distancing is a priority. A summary of the main findings are below: When choosing a destination the trend is to stay in Europe (44%) or visit a neighbouring country (42%). Only 1% said that they will avoid travel completely.
Almost two thirds of the respondents (65%) said they would consider ferry travel over air travel in the wake of COVID-19. When choosing a mode of transport the public are most likely to choose to travel by car and ferry, and less likely to travel by air, coach and by train. About the survey: The online survey was sent via email in the end of June 2020, to over 1 million Stena Line travel customers in eleven countries in Europe that had engaged with Stena Line the past 12 months.
National Orthopaedic Hospital Cappagh ‘on track’ to deliver Strategic Plan by year end
The National Orthopaedic Hospital Cappagh, Ireland’s largest dedicated orthopaedic hospital, is on track to deliver on its 2018-2020 Strategic Plan as anticipated by the end of the current year, according to the 2019 Annual Report. Last year marked the second year of the three-year strategy, which saw the hospital make significant progress in the delivery of stated priorities and by the end of 2019 and the hospital remained ahead of schedule in terms of goal implementation. Some of the achievements outlined in the 2019 report include: waiting lists for total hip and knee replacements were reduced from 12 months to 6 months; a 77% reduction in scoliosis waiting lists due to the introduction of a Rapid Access Scoliosis Service; and due to a 4% increase in demand for surgeries, the fifth theatre was operational during certain intervals. Over the past two years, significant progress has been made across the objectives outlined in the 2018 – 2020 Strategic Plan. These include:
Service development
- 15% increase in activity in two years - Spinal fusion programme has expanded with 86 surgeries completed in past two years - First public hospital in Ireland to adopt a two-surgeon approach to scoliosis surgery - First public hospital in Ireland to perform Same Day Discharge for Total Hip Replace ment patients - Expanded the Sports and Exercise Medicine Programme and established links with Sports Ireland Institute - Appointment of Clinical Director in 2018
The most relaxing hobby with the lowest heartbeat measured is knitting - with 65 beats per minute and voted by 93% respondents in a UK survey.
Knitting can decrease your resting heart rate to 18.75% whereas, the ‘pedal to the metal’ hobby biking can increase it up to 118.75%! In last place is riding a bike with 175 beats per minute and 29% of people saying it is the most relaxing hobby. are: knitting, fishing, blogging, calligraphy, and painting.
The Fitbit data was collected by 357 British people between the ages of 20 – 30 years wearing a Fitbit while completing 20 various hobbies given. The data was collected over a few weeks and revealed which soothing task most relaxes our heartbeats.
Rents rose 1.2 per cent this year
Average monthly rents rose by an average of 1.2% in the year to July, according to the latest Daft.ie Housing Market Report released today.
The new monthly report gives key figures on the health of both sale and rental markets, with figures for the sales market showing prices on average unchanged in July compared to a year ago. The average listed sale price nationwide in July was €259,733, while the average monthly listed rent was €1,412.
Rents in Dublin are largely unchanged, yearon-year, having risen by just 0.2% in the last 12 months to July. In the rest of Leinster and in Munster, rents have risen in the last year – by 3.3% and 2.7% respectively. In Connacht and Ulster, however, rents are 0.6% lower than a year ago. In the sales segment, prices have risen in both Dublin (+1.2%) and the rest of Leinster (+2.1%) in the last 12 months, but have fallen elsewhere in the country – by 2.8% in Munster and by 2.5% in Connacht and Ulster.
