Tuning In December 2001

Catherine lives alone in a flat on the New Cabra Road in Phibsboro, Dublin  She has lived in this parish for nearly eighty years. Today, Catherine’s only company is the district nurse, her home help and the priest, when he calls to bring her Communion on the first Fridays. She has fond memories of St Peter’s, the sodalities, dances and concerts in the St. Peters Hall. “Did you know?” she said to me one day; “that Dickie Rock played there before he was famous of course?”

Reminiscing about her life in the parish, Catherine says: “When I was younger I was very involved in the parish. The parish was my life; I was on the fundraising committees. It seems like I spent half my life baking bread and cakes for the sales of works. I was never out of the church, but now that I am old I can’t even walk over the road to say a prayer”. Her contact now with the world outside of her flat is through her radio and television for due to failing sight, she can no longer read the newspaper or the weekly parish newsletter. What she misses most is human contact with the community.

Although Catherine lives alone in a sad way she is not alone. Unfortunately she is one of the many statistics that make up the thousands of our Irish elderly living alone with 82% of them dependent on social welfare.

 In the 1999 report: Income, Deprivation and Well Being among Older Irish people the chairman Dr Michael Loftus stated that “one in ten older persons were at risk of combined income poverty and basic deprivation, and those reliant on non-contributory pension were double the risk with women at an even greater risk”.

To celebrate the Year of the Older Person, the National Council on Ageing and Older People, the Eastern Health Authority and the Western Health Board, commissioned a study.  The findings of this study:  “Health and Social Services for Older People” has confirmed what we all know, or at least strongly suspected for years, that the vast majority of older people would rather be cared for at home than anywhere else.

One of the authors of that report, Professor Hannah McGee of the Royal College of Surgeons, said that ‘supported homecare is the most underdeveloped component of care for Older People. A third of those with severe difficulties had no home services at all and informal carers are filling this gap at the moment.’
 

The year of the Older Person 1999 coincided with the parish’s Silver Jubilee. One of the recommendations of the Jubilee committee was the establishment of a radio link with Older Parishioners, like Catherine who are confined to their homes.
 

 It gives me great pleasure to be able to announce that we are now in a position to deliver on that recommendation. This will enable us to bring the church into the homes of our parishioners who are confined because of poor health.
 

With this radio link, our older parishioners will have the facility to listen to and take part in the celebration of the Mass and other church services. This link is indeed a great invention, and may help people like Catherine to feel that they are part of our parish.
 

However, nothing can replace personal contact. We encourage you to reach out in practical ways to your older neighbours who are confined to their homes. A few moments of your time may not be much out of your day, but may be a lifeline to someone who otherwise would have no one to speak to. We thank you for the support you give to the SVP, who see visitation of older parishioners as an important part of their work.

Through our new radio link and parishioners personal concern, people like Catherine will not be deprived of human contact. Hopefully once again, she will have reason to say ‘ The Parish is my life’.

Fr. Sean Farrell, CM

December 2001

If you are interested in having a radio receiver in your home, please contact the parish office at 353 1 8389708 or one of the priests. Please inform us about people you know who might benefit.

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