Northern Ireland

Home care contingencies for paraplegic pensioner during Twelfth parade

Noel McCaffery is bed bound and visited five times a day by private carers funded through the NHS. Picture by Hugh Russell
Noel McCaffery is bed bound and visited five times a day by private carers funded through the NHS. Picture by Hugh Russell Noel McCaffery is bed bound and visited five times a day by private carers funded through the NHS. Picture by Hugh Russell

A PARAPLEGIC pensioner who lives alone has described his distress after learning that a major July 12 parade in Co Fermanagh could impact on his home care package.

Noel McCaffrey (71) from Lisnaskea, who is bed bound and visited five times a day by private carers funded through the NHS, was told last week that traffic disruption in the town would lead to access problems.

Lisnaskea has been chosen to hold the county's annual Twelfth parade this Friday, with thousand of visitors expected.

Mr McCaffrey suffered a serious fall in a workplace accident 17 years ago which left him paralysed from the waist down.

He is confined to bound for most of the week and is also visited by a specialist nursing team four times a day for wound dressing.

Lisnaskea is hosting Fermanagh's main July 12 parade this year. Picture By Hugh Russell
Lisnaskea is hosting Fermanagh's main July 12 parade this year. Picture By Hugh Russell Lisnaskea is hosting Fermanagh's main July 12 parade this year. Picture By Hugh Russell

He said he has become "completely dependent" on the team from Aughnacloy-based company Enable Care Services after losing his wife Betty to cancer three years ago. He only leaves his home - located close to the centre of the town - twice a week to visit her grave.

A spokesman for Enable Care last night confirmed it had been made aware of the problem and put in place a contingency plan, with employees taking a 40-mile diversionary route to ensure there is cover for Mr McCaffrey.

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It said: "To ensure there is minimal risk we are placing two staff members with him all day as opposed to his usual care plan with different teams coming in and out throughout the day. The workers will have a significant detour.

"Mr McCaffrey is extremely vulnerable and we have a duty of care to ensure there are no issues that could compromise his health. He is highly dependent on our staff."

Paraplegic pensioner Noel McCaffrey is house bound most of the week. He is concerned about the impact of a Twelfth parade on his care workers accessing his home Picture by Hugh Russell.
Paraplegic pensioner Noel McCaffrey is house bound most of the week. He is concerned about the impact of a Twelfth parade on his care workers accessing his home Picture by Hugh Russell. Paraplegic pensioner Noel McCaffrey is house bound most of the week. He is concerned about the impact of a Twelfth parade on his care workers accessing his home Picture by Hugh Russell.

The pensioner told The Irish News that he is "relieved" new arrangements have been made.

"I would have been here all day on my own and couldn't have done nothing as I need two people to turn me in my bed," he said.

"The team who dress my wounds and give me medication say they will also be able to come but they may have a distance to walk as parking is the problem, the town will be jammed."

The Fermanagh parade will include visiting Orange lodges from the Republic, including representatives from Donegal, Leitrim, Cavan and Monaghan.

More than 90 private lodges, members of the Association of Loyal Orangewomen and almost 70 bands will be among the procession, making it one of the biggest in the north.

PSNI Superintendent Clive Beatty said police "will endeavour to keep disruption to the community as minimal as possible".

"Police will facilitate anyone with urgent necessity to access the town, in the event of a medical emergency for example, or people requiring medical attention or care, at the earliest opportunity," he said.