THE mother of a mentally impaired man has told of her distress after being informed that her son will be moved from his care home, despite living there for 17 years.
Patricia Darcy (66), from Ballymun, said she was devastated because her son Paul (39) has been living at the St Michael’s House Glencree unit in Ballymun for so long and was distressed by change.
“I’m absolutely heartbroken,
? she told Northside People.
“Paul’s been living at St Michael’s House in Ballymun for a long time. It was extremely difficult for him to settle in when he first went there, but he’s finally happy where he is.
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She added:
“Paul is very resistant to change. He expresses himself by banging walls and kicking things when he’s unsettled. He’s finally got himself into a routine and now that’s going to be disrupted.
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In a letter seen by Northside People, St Michael’s House informed Ms Darcy that following an architectural examination, her son’s current accommodation no longer meets basic needs.
The letter stated that there is no reasonable solution to maintain the building as a residential unit.
The letter outlines how facilities in the Raheny residential unit, where Paul will be transferred to, exceed services currently available for Paul in Ballymun.
It also states that due to financial constraints, St Michael’s House was not in a position to offer an individualised service for Paul at any other location.
However, Ms Darcy believes the move will not suit her son’s needs and will make visiting him more difficult.
“I took Paul out to Raheny last week to see if I could find the new home,
? she said.
“I got an impression from him that he was extremely anxious and distressed. He can’t talk but I could see the fear in his face. I think he knew that something wasn’t right. When he saw the sign for St Michael’s House in Raheny he started to panic. It’s really breaking my heart to see him go through this.
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Ms Darcy said she often visits her son at his residential home in Ballymun because it’s within walking distance.
“I know this is not going to work out,
? she added.
“Change can be very difficult for people, but for Paul it is even harder. My child is not like any other child. Everything is based on habits with him. I’d understand if he had to be moved for health reasons but he’s not bedridden and doesn’t require a wheelchair.
“This change is going to be extremely hard and the staff at Raheny will find Paul difficult because of how unsettled he is going to be. I just want somebody to listen. Paul only has three weeks left in the home that he’s been in for so long and I don’t know what I’m going to do now.
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When contacted, a spokesperson for St Michael’s House said they could not comment on individual cases.