Daughter of disabled woman concerned at day centre plan

The daughter of a disabled woman has said that it is cruel that her mother is “forced to retire” from the day center he attends in Downpatrick due to her age.

Maureen Wyatt, 66, has attended the adult center with complex disabilities since 2009 after suffering a brain injury after a heart trial.

Ciara Burns said she had been told that her mother had to leave the Ardarragh Day center, she was only responsible for supporting adults between 18 and 65.

The South Eastern Health Trust said Mrs. Wyatt and her family had accepted an “adequate” alternative placement to Mrs. Wyatt and her family after the staff worked “very closely” to support their transition to an alternative service.

Mrs. Burns said she did not understand why her mother had to “retire” from the center and worried that the transfer to a new center could have a negative impact on her.

She said her mother obtained “incredible interaction of the day center” and had a large group of friends.

“The staff is phenomenal,” he said.

“Actually, I wouldn’t really do it because she went to another place.”

“She goes shopping, Play Bingo, participates in all kinds or table activities.

“They have different outings several times a year.

“I think it is very cruel that Mummy has this service to turn to, every day for 16 years, and then a salt sauce is no longer there.”

Mrs. Burns said that she and her mother had “reluctantly” accepted a placement in an elderly nursery center alternative in Newcastle, but would prefer that it continue to assist Ardarragh.

“The fact that the quality of care would continue where it is in Willity, reassured me, and continuity would best adapt to the mother,” he said.

“With the nature of your brain injury, I don’t know how a great change like that would affect it.”

Mrs. Burns said she had been told that her mother will not have to leave Ardargh Day Center unstable, but it will definitely be later in 2025.

She said a reference had made a leg for her mother to move to an alternative day center in Newcastle and that the family was waiting to know how many days she could attend.

A beneficial disability organization told BBC News or that it was aware of the sinks of disabled people such as Mrs. Wyatt who have had to transition from disability services to the services of older people within a Trust Health to whom they reach 65 years.

Nuala take, from the disability action, said that the usual media means the transition of receiving support specifically for people with disabilities, to access to services met to the needs of the elderly.

“Often, the disabled person has spent many years of their lives by accessing a day center, and they have friends, they have relationships, they enjoy activities, and that for them is their world, and it is also the world of their family,”

Mrs. Toma said it was a little investigated area, but the transition could be “very harmful” and that sometimes it could lead to a decrease in mental health and well -being.

He also questioned why someone should have to make the transition from a “service that is working.”

“Senior people services are designed for older people, are not designed for disabled people.”

She said that the beneficial organization is asking for “system rethinking” and said that disability services should be provided with life.

In 2022, the member of the South Down Assembly, Colin McGrath, wrote to the then health minister Robin Swann about the case of Mrs. Wyatt.

Subsequently, the South Eastern Trust agreed to allow Mrs. Wyatt to attend the day center for another year, beyond her 65th birthday, however, this package will soon end.

A South Eastern Trust spokesman said he understood that the situation was very annoying for Mrs. Wyatt and reaffamily, as well as for other similar situations.

The trust said that if the center did not have a higher age limit, it would lead to significant delays for younger people waiting to access it.

“Around the last year, our staff has worked very closely with Mrs. Wyatt and Re -Family to support their transition to an alternative service that continues to meet their evaluated needs,” said the spokesman.

“The trust is pleased that the suitable placement, which had been identified and offered several months ago, had now been accepted by Mrs. Wyatt and her family.”

A health department spokesman said he acknowledged the anxiety and interruption potential when someone who went from a support environment to another was asked.

“Therefore, all care transitions must be well administered through advanced planning and early communication with the service user and, if appropriate, family caregivers involved in decision making as part of the care transition process,” they said.