HSE under fire as woman, 95, without home help

HEALTH chiefs were criticised last night after it emerged a 95-year-old woman living on her own cannot get home help care because of delays on a waiting list.

The elderly woman is essentially house-bound and needs assistance in her home in east Finglas, Dublin, to cook meals, clean and look after herself. She recently had two bad falls in her residence, but despite family concerns, health services are unable to provide the frail lady with a home help service.

According to Sinn Féin councillor Dessie Ellis, who is lobbying local services on behalf of the elderly woman’s family, cutbacks in health funds are to blame. He said it was unbelievable the lady was being forced to wait for help.