Published: Thursday, 21st January, 2010 7:20am
Council can't help Kelty great grandmother
by Gary Fitzpatrick
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A GREAT grandmother from Kelty has been left to shower at her neighbours or get washed at her sink for more than six months as Fife Council don't have the cash to help her.
Jemima Richardson (78), of Keltyhill Avenue, suffers from severe arthritis but has been unable to get a "proper wash" in her own home since July.
She has been assessed as needing a shower in her home but fears she could die before it's installed - the council admitted to her family it could take up to another 14 months.
The disabled pensioner has been left "very low and depressed" since being given the news that the council does not have enough money to go ahead with the work.
In the meantime, Mrs Richardson, who also has other serious health problems, is having to make do with washing from her bathroom sink.
She had been going to a friend's to use her shower but since taking ill at Christmas has been unable to do that.
Mrs Richardson was assessed back in July as needing the shower installed and so has already been waiting for more than six months.
Her plight was highlighted by Kelty councillor Alex Rowley as being the type of priority case being overlooked by the council while it spends money on feel-good TV adverts and a culture year.
Mrs Richardson's daughter, June Harpin, of Clentry Crescent, said, "It's terrible that my mum's having to wait like this.
"I have a shower every day and I can't imagine what it's like not to have a proper wash.
"I'm angry that she's worked all her life and never had anything back. It's a shame that this is happening to people.
"When we were told the shower could be put in any time between April 2010 and March 2011 she said, 'I could be dead by then.'"
Dunfermline East MSP Helen Eadie said, "It is deeply uncaring of Fife Council to give such low priority to cases like Mrs Richardson's.
"I have written to Fife Council's chief executive and the leader of Fife Council to ask what they propose to do to address the issue of putting elderly people at the front of their priorities.
"It is vulnerable groups such as these who are least able to make their voices heard.
"This case is just one of many that my office has dealt with that has shown long waiting lists and cutting of services because of pressures on council budgets.
"This is particularly acute in social work budgets and it is here where people need most help.
"The Scottish Government is putting increasing pressure on local authorities and not providing a budget to match."
Rona Laing, Fife Council head of older people's services, said, "We are very sorry for the delay in Mrs Richardson receiving a new shower.
"We are well aware of her situation and have arranged for Mrs Richardson's needs to be re-assessed as a matter of urgency.
"We will ensure she receives all the support she needs until the shower can be installed."
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Anon
(Unregistered User)
Jan 21 10 10:07
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Err - wasn't the "culture year" put in place by the Labour administration before 2007, which presumably was supported by Mr Rowley & Mrs Eadie?
micky mac
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Jan 21 10 11:28
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hi im sorry for this lady .seems like council have never changed .we tried to get my very ill sister a shower in 2005 but sadley she died and uess what never got shower .may be if some of these fat cats took pay cut and spend more on whats needed .its like every thing else with council you never get what people need cause they dont have cash.same old story there need to be changes
Sawback
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Jan 21 10 12:04
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Naff videos, speed bumps, numerous traffic lights, mini-roundabouts and staff jollies. Fife Council really have their priorities right, don't they?!
The sad fact is the above story is only the tip of the iceberg.
James
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Jan 21 10 12:10
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Why doesn't she or her family pay for a shower themselves? Why should the public pay for a shower for her, people like this make me sick - think the council does everything for them.
anon
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Jan 21 10 17:44
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this is in reply to james- i think that you are completely wrong. this women has proberly paid taxes all her life and worked all her days and brought up in fife she is more than entitled to get help from the council. you sayin why should public pay for the shower? what but its ok for the public to pay for junkies and people like that. no i completely disagree, this women should be able to get what ever is needed and wants. have some respect!!!
Robert
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Jan 22 10 15:08
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Here we have a disabled pensioner obviously living in a house too big for her. Should she not get an Old age pensioner house suited to her needs and release a bigger house for a family that needs it.
chic
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Jan 22 10 18:03
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i am sick fed up listening to the crap that comes out of the mouths of these labour publicity seeking politicians it not the fault of the present goverment but the 50 years fife council has been starved of funds due to the incompetance of the labour party that run it then not to mention the 50 billion that has just been cut from the scottish budget by gordon brown and company.
marty
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Jan 22 10 18:24
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i agree with james, what is stopping the family getting the shower. if my folks were in this type of predicament then i would help them out and fix it for them.yes she may have paid taxes but it is not up to the council to make put this in place. also agree that if and if it is a big house then yes, request a smaller one that may be more modern, too many people sitting in large houses with three bedrooms when a request to the council for a smaller accomodation might be better.
Marcella
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Jan 23 10 20:02
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The tactic of the Labour politicians who are struggling in opposition is to make everything into a party political issue. Expect to see more of this coming up to an election. Unfortunately there is some sort of an election happening this year and for the next two years.zHelen Eadie seems to acknowledge that there is pressure on Council budgets but states that the plight of this lady is because the council is uncaring? Point scoring in it\'s lowest nastiest form. Get used to it, my friends, you\'ll see a lot of it between now and May as the Scottish labour MSPs and councillors try to help Gordon get re-elected. \r\n\r\nMicky Mac remembers a similar situation in 2005 with a member of his own family. My mum was in a similar position that year too. Her family paid for a shower for her sheltered house. Can anyone who remember who led the Council Administration that year.....
Welisera
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Jan 24 10 11:24
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Here we have another example of the aged and vulnerable being let down. This senior citizen is or was, at some stage, paying her 'rent' to Fife Council, and for the benefit of James and Marty, RENTAL COVERS THE UPKEEP OF THE HOMES OF WHICH THE RENT COVERS. Amazingly, they seem to know the financial position of Mrs Richardson's family. And, if a shower was fitted by other than the council, it would then become their property. That includes you Marcella.
I understand by reading blogs, that this council ably supported by councillors, continues to waste hundreds of thousands of taxpayers cash on road humping. It is they who should be humped.
For those who keep on politicking, get a life and forget the 'Brownie points'.
Martin
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Jan 25 10 08:38
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Why doesn't the press install the shower for her? Since they seem to think this is such a desperate story, or perhaps they should point the finger at all the non payers of council tax in kelty... small wonder they can't afford to install the shower required for someone who is essentially disabled. Those showers cost about three grand. Not exactly the kind of funds they have for allocation to a council house.
Marcella
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Jan 25 10 19:46
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Welisera, when we paid for my mum's shower, she was able to benefit from it's use it while she lived in her council owned sheltered house. We didn't want her to have to wait for a year or more on a list held by the then Labour-run coucil.
When she passed away, another vulnerable person will have been able to benefit from our investment and so on. It doesn't really matter who owns it. As a life-long soc*alist, my mum would have approved of that.
NEILY-J
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Jan 26 10 10:41
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The sad thing is the council would rather spend/waste money on speedbumps than help our elderly vulnerable residents. Dispicable Fife Council!
James
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Jan 26 10 13:49
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Clentry Crescent (where her daughter lives) is off of Keltyhill Avenue, so the story of her having to go to neighbours for a shower does not wash, so to speak. As she will benefit from the shower and needs it, why doesn't she or her daughter pay for one? If they went to the trouble of moaning to a local paper they should go to the trouble of installing a shower.
Welisera - "RENTAL COVERS THE UPKEEP OF THE HOMES OF WHICH THE RENT COVERS" - and installing a shower counts as upkeep - she could go to te shops and get a shower that fits over taps for a pound.
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