Homeless/A personal view

jonnny68 wrote: »

the PC brigade will likely come out and syarty accusing me of all sorts

jonnny68 wrote: »

they get the dole, they all live 6/7 to a room in various places like NCR and Dorset Street, ive seen the very people who are supposedly homeless begging on the street and it's disgusting

Smondie wrote: »

Instead of spending thier time begging in the street, they should be using it to look for a job.

Loveinapril wrote: »

I understand that some posters are unsympathetic to "the homeless" but I think you are missing the other major factor in this thread. There are some very informed people (myself included) trying to advise the OP on ways to alleviate their situation but he is defensive and unwilling to engage. There are many things that he can do TODAY to get him out of the hole he is in but he seems to be more focused on ranting about his situation. I think that is why people are becoming less empathetic.

FluffyAngel wrote: »

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