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Belfast: 550 pensioners to lose out on home help | Belfast: 550 pensioners to lose out on home help |
(about 3 hours later) | |
Up to 550 elderly people across Belfast are to lose their home help services because of budget cuts. | Up to 550 elderly people across Belfast are to lose their home help services because of budget cuts. |
The Belfast Trust has sent letters to the pensioners telling them that their laundry, shopping and cleaning help will stop as of 5 January 2015. | The Belfast Trust has sent letters to the pensioners telling them that their laundry, shopping and cleaning help will stop as of 5 January 2015. |
The trust has apologised and has stressed that this is a temporary measure. | The trust has apologised and has stressed that this is a temporary measure. |
A spokeswoman said this was about meeting budget restrictions and would last for just three to four months. | A spokeswoman said this was about meeting budget restrictions and would last for just three to four months. |
Speaking on Radio Ulster's Nolan Show, Adeline Keenan, 89, said: "I got a letter on Saturday saying that from 5 January, my help would be cut. | Speaking on Radio Ulster's Nolan Show, Adeline Keenan, 89, said: "I got a letter on Saturday saying that from 5 January, my help would be cut. |
"I get my shopping done on Tuesday and Thursday for half an hour and my laundry on Wednesday for half an hour," she said. | "I get my shopping done on Tuesday and Thursday for half an hour and my laundry on Wednesday for half an hour," she said. |
"I will miss the shopping. It is heavy coming up and down the hill and I am 90 on my next birthday." | "I will miss the shopping. It is heavy coming up and down the hill and I am 90 on my next birthday." |
Her grand daughter, Julie, said that the trust had suggested Mrs Keenan shop online or pay privately for help. | Her grand daughter, Julie, said that the trust had suggested Mrs Keenan shop online or pay privately for help. |
"I was quite disgusted," she said. | "I was quite disgusted," she said. |
"As a family, we will make provision for my granny. But what happens to all those people who don't have families? A lot of people don't have someone to fight for them." | "As a family, we will make provision for my granny. But what happens to all those people who don't have families? A lot of people don't have someone to fight for them." |
Marie Heaney from the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, apologised. | Marie Heaney from the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, apologised. |
She said the trust had to deliver within budget. The cuts were a "contingency measure", she said. | She said the trust had to deliver within budget. The cuts were a "contingency measure", she said. |
Targeting home help shopping and laundry enabled the trust to continue to deliver clinical needs like washing and dressing, she said. | Targeting home help shopping and laundry enabled the trust to continue to deliver clinical needs like washing and dressing, she said. |
"We had to prioritise those in greatest need," she said. | "We had to prioritise those in greatest need," she said. |
"We had to examine what would be the least damaging and create the least impact." | "We had to examine what would be the least damaging and create the least impact." |
Ms Heaney stressed this was a temporary arrangement. | Ms Heaney stressed this was a temporary arrangement. |
In a statement, the trust said the decision was "not taken lightly". | |
It said social care assessors would be following up those affected and offering information and options to them. |