Cold comfort for golden years citizens

Tuesday, 15 February 2011 09:43

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The shocking revelation that the inability to pay for home heating could be contributing to up to 2,000 winter deaths across Ireland a year is most frightening in this day and age.
The statistics were outlined at an Energy Action conference on fuel poverty last week.
Between 1,500 and 2,000 'excess winter deaths' - the number of additional deaths compared to other times of the year - occurred on the island of Ireland during winter 2009/2010.
That number is expected to have increased following the harsh winter conditions of the past few months with older people most likely to be affected, according to Age Action Ireland.

The conference was told those most likely to be affected were older people living alone, often widowed, enduring low housing standards, low income and in buildings with low occupancy rates.
Severe demands were placed on all households to maintain reasonable heating levels during the harsh snow and ice over Christmas and the new year.
Yet those with limited incomes suffered most and many were forced to ration energy use at a time when they needed it most.
On a personal level, just prior to Christmas I had a small Stanley stove installed in an open fireplace in our sitting room.
The transformation was remarkable with heat levels rocketing and fuel consumption dropping dramatically.

Little did I realise so much heat was going up the chimney for the comfort of our resident crows.
It was pointed out at the conference the elderly also tended to be the people who don't self-refer themselves to agencies that can help them and who fail to take up benefits they are entitled to.
That is a difficulty that the incoming government should tackle by launch an information programme outlining the entitlements the elderly have as regards home heating grants and subsidies.
The imposition of additional carbon taxes, while necessary, should be exempt for senior citizens, encouraging them to invest in upgrading and maintaining their heating systems.
It is unfortunate that in their golden years these people do not have the comforts they deserve at a time when they are most vulnerable from a health perspective.
It is, unfortunately, a downside of the recession but something we must come to grips with.