A carer’s dilemma: ‘We get called ‘angels’ and we’re not: we’re mams and dads trying our best for our kids’
The State has expanded eligibility for many benefits, but there are still loopholes. Means tested payments like carers allowance mean households with pensions, above-average incomes or those who have saved against future costs can find themselves penalised
Family carers have described their experience as ‘falling off a financial cliff’. Photo: Getty
Damien Douglas (66) and his wife Mary start their day at 6.45am. Their twin 28-year-old daughters, Ailis and Una, were born with the chromosomal abnormality Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome and, because of that, are completely dependent, unable to eat, drink, walk or use the toilet.
The day starts with the couple washing and changing their twin daughters and giving them their medications. Five days a week, Ailis and Una attend day services from 9.30am to around 4pm, then it’s home, change, evening feeds and drinks.
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