My elderly and housebound mother has, in the past 12 months, become utterly dependent on full-time care in addition to the unstinting help my four siblings have been giving her round the clock. At the venerable age of 87 she wishes, as do her children, to stay at the family home and, with proper aid, this is perfectly feasible.

My siblings had managed to overcome the plethora of hurdles and employed a live-in care worker. She was indeed fully qualified and the State had, therefore, offered financial aid for her employment. However, despite her qualifications, the live-in care worker was not up to scratch. My siblings eventually ended up having not only to cater for my mother’s needs but also to adapt to the carer’s unpredictability. As the situation became abysmal, she was ultimately dismissed.

The new one has proved herself in every respect exceedingly better. The only issue is her qualifications, which, very unjustly, are making my family ineligible for financial aid. We have unsuccessfully complained to the powers-that-be about the injustice but the whole system apparently seems to be intrinsically inalterable. Consequently, my family is carrying this financial burden even if the State has the means on offer.

I am fully aware that my family is not the only one facing this situation, where qualifications are putting our elderly at the mercy of the incompetent and bereft of the efficient live-in care workers. Yes, I am told that some are endeavouring to resolve this issue but let us not get the fruit basket when there are no more trees in the garden.