Patrick
Homelessness
My name is Patrick and I used to live in inappropriate private rented accommodation with no housing supports from the local council. The house was not accessible with no access to toileting facilities. I have a physical disability and at the time I was also experiencing mental health issues. My advocate supported me to access housing supports which resulted in an increased rent supplement. I moved to new accessible accommodation and my situation improved. However, issues continued to present with the home care service provider and my home situation deteriorated due to the poor quality of home care supports. The service was not person-centred and the provider did not respond satisfactorily to resolve issues and support me. My advocate supported me to explore alternative options and made representations to the HSE seeking agreement to allow me to manage my own budget. Through advocacy, I now employ my own staff and I have full control over the day to day running of roster and allocation of staff. I feel a huge improvement in my overall quality of life.
