A number of volunteers have come together to establish a Carers Support Network in the Roscommon – East Galway area where it is estimated some 4,000 Carers provide essential home care services for people and loved ones without whom the state would have to intervene.
This voluntary support group envisage monthly meetings rotating around the region on a monthly basis in the following areas:
Ballintubber / Castlerea / Ballinlough / Cloonfad
Oran / Ballinaheglish / Four Mile House
Elphin / Boyle / Strokestown
Ballaghderreen / Loughglynn
Ballymoe / Williamstown / Glenamaddy
Ballinasloe / Monksland
Roscommon / Knockcroghery / Lecarrow
Taughmaconnell / Ballygar / Ballinasloe
The group is calling on all Carers from all of the above areas to support the initiative. Anne Farrell, who can be contacted on 087- 6358478, will be the central point of contact for all volunteers – who can give some of their free time to engage with and gain valuable life skills and experience with our Carers and their families – until such time as a formal Committee is set up. Special guests will be invited to the group’s monthly meetings to advise on all areas of concern to Carers and their families such as:
Pensions and the means tests
Supports available to Carers
Healthcare and Selfcare
The group also has a number of aims including
– the establishment of network of social outings and/or entertainment for all involved in this network.
– submission of weekly letters from the Carers themselves to local media outlining issues of major concern to Carers e.g. allowable working hours; car insurance; Hospital appointments and ID;
The group acknowledge the invaluable work performed by the Carers Association and this new Support Group will be an additional resource to this work whom we see as benefiting everybody concerned.
Anyone interested in finding out more or getting involved is encouraged to contact Anne Farrell on 087- 6358478.