Homeless/A personal view

FluffyAngel · 06-08-2016 03:53PM #1

Boards..

I read a comment last week on a thread about homelessness and they are out to milk system blah blah ,the same worn out sentences are wheeled out every time it comes up in the media,its with that in mind i wrote the below

i became homeless 3 months ago,here is my viewpoint and firsthand account..im telling this to inform and let the people have a real insight into the depths people have to go..

I'm disabled,simples ..have wheelchair will travel
since i became homeless my eyes have been opened to the pain and suffering ,if anybody thinks its done for a lifestyle change or theres something to be gained from being homeless then think again ..

the homeless unit in Cork operates like this .

you get recipet for where you stayed i.e. hotel or b&b, for single people its a max of 50 euro a night ,in my case i need two carers with me,one is getting carers and the other person is an extra help that nobody pays for,i was told that i would get a hundred euro no matter how i needed to be near a lift or have a shower in room i would have to make the best of what was available.

I was staying with a familly member on a couch which i was so grateful for,but was no way suitable for me..i tried everything to stop me going the route of hotels but as everybody knows there is no houses to rent,being disabled its awareness that says I'm at the bottom of list when it comes to renting,landlords want professional people not disabled with electric bed,wheelchair,meds etc etc rocking up to door,if i fall who is to blame?

so the first time i went to homeless unit i arrived at 9am as i wanted to be first in queue,doors opened at 9.30,i was met by a security guard to be told that i couldn't get in as they didn't have wheelchair access,under health and safety he couldn't support me to drag chair on path ,and even if he did inside the building had steps etc..

so they held the clinic in the middle of road,i filled forms and discussed medical issues and the cwo issued a cheque as i sat in the middle of road..of course the road wasn't fit to put a wheelchair on and when i fell out of chair getting to car it was the cream on top of a bad day.

for example i stayed in west cork last night,then i would have to be payed in that district say bandon,then its bandon cwo,all my services are where i lived before and i was switching between cork and previous place ,there was no leeway when i asked to stop making me drive 180miles as the driving was making me ill and the pain from fissures was killing me.. no,the rules are the rules

by going to cwo,i was saying i have no money(thats why they are there) but they insisted that i pay for hotel and bring them recipets,when i told them i hadn't that money to give they closed the window.

when i waited outside the homeless unit on a thursday afternoon and it didn't open up ,i rang them to find out they don't as the website says open from 2 to 4
i asked why hadn't they changed it,its not my job to change it

it didn't matter to them that i was driving to bins to dump my adult nappies,it didn't matter that i was so ill from the stress of looking and trying to find accommodation that i had pushed myself to the brink..
i was told if I'm that ill,its hospital i should be in..(i asked were they double jobbing as doctor/cwo)

i had meds to take every 4 hours that zone me out so the out at 9 in at 5 hotel goosed me,i had to tell a story of being at medical appointments (kinda true)

i was also warned not to approach media or highlight my needs,i would not only mess it up for me and find no room at the inn but theres hundreds of people moving around that it would affect.that hotels in cork knew that hundreds were being moved around and are pushing up prices (one hotel had 900 euro for a double room on a monday night) its summer and when the sun shines etc etc

because of not having address

i can't access ot/hse services,i tried to get a electric wheelchair but nobody will see me till i had an address

i lost a heating payment due to not having an address (poor house and its illness)

i can't get home help (no address)

i have sores that need urgent attention(no address for nurse)

there is the effect of this on dignity,self respect and the baring of the soul that goes deep into a place

the frontline people are broken disillousned from the amount of pain and peoples stories they face everyday,they are trying but getting nowhere fast..
there is no respect for the homeless person..

in west cork they have no homeless plan ..2016 and they have taken an ostrich approach to homeless..

now the above might be seen as a woe is me story ,but I'm fluffyAngel and i intend to use and tell my story to further and improve services for everybody,i have a voice and stood my ground,but theres a lot of people accepting this as their fate,it shouldn't be and i feel as an Irish citizen that i have to,as a human i want to hold my hand in support to the next person

the biggest surprise is the kindness in unexpected places,
the irish system is set up for Victims,the more pained you are the "more" you get..

having told my story with the added bit"I'm not a victim" 4/5 times a day it was a pleasure to hit McDonnell's drive thru and not be judged,i was able to laugh and lose myself..i made coffee friends,they could see my car and tell me my order..it was a joy to be greeted with a smile and warmth..

please don't judge,if you want to do something ,be the change you want to see in the world,(gandhi )

Peace

Widdershins · 06-08-2016 04:24PM

I hope you don't mind me asking ...could you explain a bit more about why you were warned to stay away from the media ?

FluffyAngel · 06-08-2016 05:01PM

If i wanted to remain in accommodation ,my story is standout for being ill wheelchair and having a voice..

they would find some excuse to not take me

failinis · 06-08-2016 05:27PM

Is there not someone in Cork/nearby where you are who could offer for you to stay at their address, for long enough that you can actually say "yes i have an address" for the things you are currently denied?
Its hardly going to magically fix everything but would at least help in some respects.

snubbleste · 06-08-2016 06:02PM

OP, thanks for sharing. We care.
Your life sounds like a nightmare.

FluffyAngel · 06-08-2016 06:13PM

snubbleste wrote: »

OP, thanks for sharing. We care.
Your life sounds like a nightmare.

I see why you say that,but if I'm really truthful its a spiritual journey and as hard as i try i don't see the bad or nastiness in it ..

want to know the hardest part?

telling frontline staff i care and understand and im going to help them..
that i care

one woman got it ...

razorblunt · 06-08-2016 06:25PM

Just heard a horrible bit of news, where I live in Edinburgh is on a really nice, quiet, idyllic river walkway.
I've been taking my dog there for the last few weeks and extending the walk bit by bit as she gets fitter.
One section of it is closed off as the pathway fell away in heavy rains earlier in the year (it's still passable but you have to mind your footing).

Last time I noticed a tent was setup in this closed off area, seemed to have a clothesline and all sorts.
Just heard news reports this morning that a tree fell on it during the night killing a man inside the tent.

They're calling it "wild camping" but the poor lad was homeless.

FluffyAngel · 06-08-2016 10:12PM

seen that on the news, trust me when i say theres a massive underbelly of homeless that isn't being discussed

Stheno · 06-08-2016 10:20PM

You sound like your own worst enemy to be honest you could use your relatives address to get access to help

And what happened to your son not getting carers alliance as per your last thread?

MadDog76 · 06-08-2016 10:26PM

Stheno wrote: »

You sound like your own worst enemy to be honest you could use your relatives address to get access to help

And what happened to your son not getting carers alliance as per your last thread?

Well done you, give yourself a big slap on the back and be proud of yourself! :rolleyes:

Wigglepuppy · 06-08-2016 10:28PM

FluffyAngel wrote: »

If i wanted to remain in accommodation ,my story is standout for being ill wheelchair and having a voice..

they would find some excuse to not take me

How do you mean?

Welruc · 06-08-2016 10:34PM

€900 for a hotel room in Cork... on a Monday night. The celtic tiger must be back

FluffyAngel · 06-08-2016 10:37PM

Stheno wrote: »

You sound like your own worst enemy to be honest you could use your relatives address to get access to help

And what happened to your son not getting carers alliance as per your last thread?

great ,i was wondering how long it would take for after hours to wake up..
I'm going to respect you questioning

and give you the answer,apart from a mod hat ,what qualifications have you to dissect and analysis? and might i add come up with a truth in your head not the actual reality..

and its relative not relatives
as its the same for hotel ,bed,doctors,nurses etc its the same for my (singular) relative..nobody wants the hassle,when i was in hospital the nurses were talking about the amount of people dropping relatives at the doors and walking away,according to them its due to stress,not getting services,and exhaustion..
because people are related doesn't make them begotten to a person..

some people are cruel ,some people are kind and so on and on ,its human nature

under data protection act I'm not allowed discuss what he is or isn't getting
(your not really reading my last thread)this is about me not him(he is a adult and has his own voice) and my last point is,this is a snapshot to whats going on in the world outside of board/mod/laptop towers,not a chance for to have a go or judge..

but as i typed ,its human nature

sullivlo · 06-08-2016 10:44PM

FluffyAngel wrote: »

great ,i was wondering how long it would take for after hours to wake up..
I'm going to respect you questioning

and give you the answer,apart from a mod hat ,what qualifications have you to dissect and analysis? and might i add come up with a truth in your head not the actual reality..

and its relative not relatives
as its the same for hotel ,bed,doctors,nurses etc its the same for my (singular) relative..nobody wants the hassle,when i was in hospital the nurses were talking about the amount of people dropping relatives at the doors and walking away,according to them its due to stress,not getting services,and exhaustion..
because people are related doesn't make them begotten to a person..

some people are cruel ,some people are kind and so on and on ,its human nature

under data protection act I'm not allowed discuss what he is or isn't getting
(your not really reading my last thread)this is about me not him(he is a adult and has his own voice) and my last point is,this is a snapshot to whats going on in the world outside of board/mod/laptop towers,not a chance for to have a go or judge..

but as i typed ,its human nature

With all due respect, you're the one who mentioned your son and his allowances. It's perfectly reasonable of someone to question the outcome.

And again, with all due respect, yours is not the standard homeless person situation. Your ill health makes things much, much, much more difficult for you than it is for your average homeless person.

06-08-2016 10:48PM

This upsets me deeply, would you be opposed to the idea of fundraising? Irish people are incredibly good at coming together when someone is down not their luck.

It's such a shame that adequate help isn't provided for the people who actually need it.

I do maintain my views that there are people out there who abuse the social welfare system etc (obviously I am not saying you OP).

FluffyAngel · 06-08-2016 10:54PM

sullivlo wrote: »

With all due respect, you're the one who mentioned your son and his allowances. It's perfectly reasonable of someone to question the outcome.

And again, with all due respect, yours is not the standard homeless person situation. Your ill health makes things much, much, much more difficult for you than it is for your average homeless person.

there is very very similar storys out there,we as a nation have them buried because they are too shameful to deal with ,what about the drug addict with hep c? the alcoholic who has liver failure? the working parents who are homeless with autism children,just under the skin are storys but shame or judgement prevents them being told

im not quite sure sure ,but if you asked anybody whose pain is worse theirs or mine they would say (I'm guessing) theirs

surely a county without a homeless plan is worth finding out about instead of allowances,or even a government building that disabled people can't get into..

or broken staff ? my son is doing a job that i don't want him to be doing,but love and respect guides him

can we not go down this road ? really..the reasoning I'm using is theres too much pain in the world without adding to it ,see the part where i said carer...

sullivlo · 06-08-2016 10:56PM

222233 wrote: »

This upsets me deeply, would you be opposed to the idea of fundraising? Irish people are incredibly good at coming together when someone is down not their luck.

It's such a shame that adequate help isn't provided for the people who actually need it.

I do maintain my views that there are people out there who abuse the social welfare system etc (obviously I am not saying you OP).

You can say that about anything in the public system though unfortunately. I was told by my GP that I need to see a neurologist urgently. There is a two year wait. The system is broken.

But it remains the fact that the needs of the OP are entirely different to those of your average homeless person. I'm not sure that the homeless persons office are equipped to deal with the needs of the OP, the problem being that I can't think of any cross-department system that would work for the needs of the OP as they are quite specific needs.

OP have you spoken to local TDs for their advice? Different government sections don't work together, sometimes they need a push to think outside the box.

sullivlo · 06-08-2016 11:01PM

FluffyAngel wrote: »

there is very very similar storys out there,we as a nation have them buried because they are too shameful to deal with ,what about the drug addict with hep c? the alcoholic who has liver failure? the working parents who are homeless with autism children,just under the skin are storys but shame or judgement prevents them being told

im not quite sure sure ,but if you asked anybody whose pain is worse theirs or mine they would say (I'm guessing) theirs

surely a county without a homeless plan is worth finding out about instead of allowances,or even a government building that disabled people can't get into..

or broken staff ? my son is doing a job that i don't want him to be doing,but love and respect guides him

can we not go down this road ? really..the reasoning I'm using is theres too much pain in the world without adding to it ,see the part where i said carer...

Again, with all due respect, no two situations are ever the same so comparisons are difficult to make.

People tend not to discuss their personal issues in public, I don't think it's shame preventing them, I think it's just a desire to maintain dignity and maintain a face in public. I'm sure everyone on boards has something that they could add to the thread about the system or the homeless person who lives in their street or the drug addicts on their commute.

But it is impossible to compare.

I'm a carer for my great aunt. I don't think it's love and respect that guides me to that - it's the humane thing to do. You don't want your son doing it; he would not do it if he didn't want to.

FluffyAngel · 06-08-2016 11:03PM

sullivlo wrote: »

You can say that about anything in the public system though unfortunately. I was told by my GP that I need to see a neurologist urgently. There is a two year wait. The system is broken.

But it remains the fact that the needs of the OP are entirely different to those of your average homeless person. I'm not sure that the homeless persons office are equipped to deal with the needs of the OP, the problem being that I can't think of any cross-department system that would work for the needs of the OP as they are quite specific needs.

OP have you spoken to local TDs for their advice? Different government sections don't work together, sometimes they need a push to think outside the box.

your right,(but veering wrong)
every government building by law should be accessible.bit of common sense or empathy with staff?

talked to a good few and like most depts,people are lacking answers right across the board

FluffyAngel · 06-08-2016 11:06PM

Loveinapril wrote: »

OP, do you have a social worker? Or an occupational therapist? Can they advocate to the council to house you as a medical priority? If you have medical needs, many homeless services have nurses on site. Or you could present at A and E. This way you could request to see a social worker.

a doctor suggested last week to lay in the middle of road,but i have respect and dignity and aware to know that the houses aren't there ,private,council, to buy or rent ..

I'm working on solutions..
this post is an awareness post and not seeking answers ,sympathy or anything else..

its my story of being homeless

sullivlo · 06-08-2016 11:06PM

FluffyAngel wrote: »

your right,(but veering wrong)
every government building by law should be accessible.bit of common sense or empathy with staff?

talked to a good few and like most depts,people are lacking answers right across the board

Again, with all due respect, where is the money to make buildings accessible going to come from? Most government buildings were built years ago without any thoughts to who might need to get in further down the line.

What needs to happen, IMO, is an accessible area where representatives from the various offices attend once a week (or however frequently) so that all the people are under one roof and that makes things easier for the person who needs to access them.

And I'm not sure where your "veering wrong" comment comes from.

poppy81 · 06-08-2016 11:08PM

Stheno wrote: »

You sound like your own worst enemy to be honest you could use your relatives address to get access to help

And what happened to your son not getting carers alliance as per your last thread?

As this and most of your posts ( in all other forums) will confirm, you are a ball bag. Know it all, soap box standing, nasty sad person. Banned but totally worth it!

06-08-2016 11:19PM

Op is homeless. Doesn't want to burden his son by using his address (a serious burden alright) and goes on mindless rants about nothing to so with the subject, date protection wtf.

Register yourself to your sons address and cop on your an adult, he should be taking you in let alone not wanting to burden him by asking him to accept post on your behalf.

If my father was disabled and about to go live on the streets because he felt he was burdening me I would chain his wheelchair inside the house as I'm sure any other rational person reading this would

lawlolawl · 06-08-2016 11:41PM

Yeah, sorry OP but there's a lot more to this than you are letting on.

07-08-2016 12:00AM

lawlolawl wrote: »

Yeah, sorry OP but there's a lot more to this than you are letting on.

Well its quite clear the op is not "mentally" there. Situation could be improved by doing 1 simple thing, not going to do it.
Why?
Don't know!
It's a conspiracy the government is to blame. Not even going to try to make the situation better, I'll post on the internet instead!

I know what I'd be doing if I was bloody homeless and the last thing would be posting on the internet , I'd have that son taking more post than the GPO and get the accommodation sorted

FluffyAngel · 07-08-2016 07:38AM

see this is what i was fearing ,mentally not there ? are you for real? theres a lot of people here who are mouthing off about stuff they know nothing about..

its not fair to people that support me getting called out by knobs on the net..

to the government buildings comment ..
totally get the no money ,thats why I'm happy to use services as a springboard to empower and guide myself,i want to learn so i can under stand and empower myself

surely the officials would have that meeting and say ,lets get a sign up saying if your disabled or needs that can't be met here ring this number..
instead of the shame of getting needs met in the middle of road

or

why make laws if the lawmakers can't abide by them

or

that post reads like,il complain if i don't get what i want or need ,but anyone else get in a corner,
why should i go to a different building ? is it I'm not able bodied so not worthy of being treated as an equal..

social workers for adults are a myth,only if elderly etc

see thats the problem with disability ,able bodied people making decisions for disabled people..i fell out of my chair,the roads/paths are not for chairs,so should i stay in and not get out to access services? how can they change if nothing is said

is there more to the story ? yup.. how the humanity of people has reduced me to tears

how people who i despised came to my help and supported,how hate turned to love and respect

how I'm going to change this

how years of abuse in the care of ireland has taught me that there will never be dark days again,how i now can become the change i see and want in the world..

its a story to guide and learn ,if you don't get that then don't comment

bigpink · 07-08-2016 07:54AM

How did you becone homeless?

Speedwell · 07-08-2016 07:59AM

bigpink wrote: »

How did you becone homeless?

Is there a reason for asking this other than to determine whether the OP "deserves" your sympathy, social services, or time on the forum? Because if you know of something that might help the OP that depends on the reason for becoming homeless, please just share it... it might help someone else.

FluffyAngel · 07-08-2016 08:09AM

as for the address..

its not my sons address,by the time services get around to coming and assessing it takes six months..

all services are now linked,as an example,if my lived in a council house and my son put me "on" his address.. then rent increases social welfareetc etc etc and it goes on.

its all hassle and questions and extra weight,people get offended by using their personal space for "gain"

by using a persons address I'm saying that the 4 years on waiting list is gone,as you have to be assed from the address your staying in .

if I'm saying i live in city then its the city council i apply to for housing and in one stroke of a pen/keyboard 4 years are gone and I'm back to queue start..

its a chicken and egg ..

FluffyAngel · 07-08-2016 08:12AM

mods could you lock this please.

its intended to be a story to learn from not to place me on the court of boards..
the story is there to learn and inform

im not looking for anything nor want sympathy or to upset anybody,its intended purpose is to add my voice and hopefully become useful to somebody

please lock

FluffyAngel · 07-08-2016 09:01AM

just to add

its not just buildings that don't have access

try going by train to Dublin in a chair,its like trying to score a bullseye with a dart from a mile away

dart lifts don't work,stranded on platforms is becoming a hobby of mine

shops are like assault courses
toilets that have a sticker to get past legislation but don't allow chairs in..
toilets that have the emergency cord cut (they are a nuisance)

and so on and on..

theres no need to throw vast amounts of money at anything,just plain common sense and ability to listen to people..together we can build a community that empowers people

Homeless/A personal view

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